Tag: Angus Menuge

^{Type
podcast

Angus Menuge
Date
September 2, 2026

Tagged
AI, Angus Menuge, Artificial Intelligence, human mind, Philosophy, soul}

Angus Menuge: Powers of the Soul That Are Beyond AI

_{Angus Menuge
September 2, 2026

2}

In this episode of the Mind Matters News podcast, Dr. Robert J. Marks and Pat Flynn welcome returning guest Dr. Angus Menuge, professor of philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin, to discuss his paper “Powers of the Soul Beyond AI.”

Dr. Menuge breaks down the philosophical and logical limits of artificial intelligence, targeting the concept of anthropic mechanism to explain why material machines cannot replicate the immaterial aspects of human agency. Through the lens of five distinct powers—including insight, meta-insight, and free will—Menuge explores why large language models and advanced computing systems fall short of genuine understanding and human consciousness.

A cell viewed under a microscope, rendered in stunning 4K detail.

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post

News
Date
June 27, 2025

Categorized
Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Edgar Brightman (1884‒1953), Methodological naturalism, Paul de Vries, Robert J. Marks, Robert Larmer}

Methodological Naturalism: Helpful Rule or Hindering Dogma?

_{If the observable data points to outcomes that natural causes cannot adequately explain, then ruling out supernatural causes from the outset is not scientific humility — it’s dogma} _{News
June 27, 2025

5

Philosophy, Science}

The conversation highlighted the need to follow the evidence wherever it leads — even if it leads to the possibility of divine intervention.

A human head with glowing neurons in the brain. Generative AI

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post

News
Date
April 18, 2025

Categorized
Free will, Human exceptionalism, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Benjamin Libet, Brian Krouse, Michael Egnor, Minding the Brain (Discovery Institute Press 2023), Wesley J. Smith}

The Nature of Mind, Free Will, and Human Uniqueness: A Deep Dive

_{The book Minding the Brain sparks some interesting discussions about what is really unique about the human mind} _{News
April 18, 2025

4

Free will, Human exceptionalism, Philosophy of Mind}

Many philosophers have concluded both from experience and careful consideration that mental phenomena cannot be reduced to neural mechanisms.

Brain psychology mind soul and hope concept art, 3d illustration, surreal artwork, imagination painting, conceptual idea

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post

News
Date
March 1, 2025

Categorized
Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Dualism, Emergentism, Idealism, Informational realism, Materialism, Michael Egnor, Panpsychism (vs. materialism)}

Beyond Materialism: Exploring the Mind-Brain Relationship

_{Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and philosopher Angus Menuge probe the relationship through philosophy, neuroscience, and information theory} _{News
March 1, 2025

6

Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind}

Understanding the mind in terms of information processing, rather than as a byproduct of brain activity, could reshape the debate.

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post

News
Date
January 31, 2025

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Brian Krouse, Dualism, Functionalism, Minding the Brain (book), Pat Flynn, Physicalism (and consciousness), Robert J. Marks}

Beyond the Physical: Exploring the Nature of the Mind

_{A recent podcast panel challenged the prevailing materialist assumptions about the mind and explored better accounts of the richness of human consciousness} _{News
January 31, 2025

5

Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind}

Minding the Brain, to which the panelists contributed, challenges skeptical readers to move beyond physicalism, which is not producing useful results.

a man with his head in the air surrounded by lightning and trees in the background, with a green light coming from his head, concept art, naturalism

^{Type
podcast

Angus Menuge and Robert Larmer
Date
March 21, 2024

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Methodological naturalism, Minding the Brain}

Consciousness and Agency: A Critique of Methodological Naturalism

_{Angus Menuge and Robert Larmer
March 21, 2024

2}

In this episode, host Angus Menuge continues a discussion with Dr. Robert Larmer about his chapter on methodological naturalism in the recent volume Minding the Brain. In this segment of the conversation, Menuge and Larmer examine the justifications for methodological naturalism and critique some of the common arguments. They discuss the claim that non-natural causes are unknowable by scientific inquiry and Read More ›

AI Brain Chip loop. Artificial Intelligence rationality human quantum metrology mind circuit board. Neuronal network random access memory smart computer processor endorphins

^{Type
podcast

Angus Menuge, Robert J. Marks, and Robert Larmer
Date
March 14, 2024

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Minding the Brain, Robert J. Marks}

Methodological Naturalism: Neutral Principle or Self-Refuting Philosophy?

_{Angus Menuge, Robert J. Marks, and Robert Larmer
March 14, 2024

1}

In this episode, hosts Robert J. Marks and Angus Menuge interview Dr. Robert Larmer about his chapter on methodological naturalism in the recently published volume Minding the Brain. Larmer explains that methodological naturalism is the assumption that when pursuing knowledge, one must always posit a physical cause and never appeal to a non-physical cause. Larmer argues that methodological naturalism is not Read More ›

A meteor streaks across the Milky Way during the Perseid meteor shower of 2016.

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post

Angus J. Menuge
Date
December 15, 2023

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Consciousness, Discovery Institute, Dualism, Materialism, Mental states, mind, Minding the Brain, Physicalism, science, substance dualism}

Science Needs a Mind to Work

_{The use of science to discredit the existence of mental subjects is fatally flawed.} _{Angus J. Menuge
December 15, 2023

3

Philosophy of Mind}

The idea that science has somehow shown the irrelevance of the mind to explaining behavior is seriously confused.

An individual journeys up the stairway to heaven, transcending mortality and entering the afterlife. Ascending through celestial clouds. Generative AI

^{Type
podcast

Angus Menuge and Michael Egnor
Date
November 23, 2023

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Michael Egnor}

Evaluating Popular Theories of the Mind-Brain Relationship

_{Angus Menuge and Michael Egnor
November 23, 2023

2}

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the most common mind-brain theories? On today’s episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor concludes his conversation with Dr. Angus Menuge about the mind-brain relationship and the popular dualistic theories of Cartesian dualism and Thomistic dualism. Cartesian dualism posits that the mind and body are fundamentally different substances, with the mind being immaterial and the body Read More ›

Adult and child hands holding encephalography brain paper cutout, Epilepsy and alzheimer awareness, seizure disorder, mental health concept

^{Type
podcast

Angus Menuge and Michael Egnor
Date
November 16, 2023

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Michael Egnor, Minding the Brain (book)}

From Physicalism to Idealism: Challenging Assumptions about Reality

_{Angus Menuge and Michael Egnor
November 16, 2023

2}

Can the mind be understood independently of physical matter? On today’s episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor continues his conversation with Dr. Angus Menuge, Chair of Philosophy at Concordia University, about his book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. They discuss various models of the mind-brain problem, including idealism, which posits that matter does not exist and that Read More ›

^{Type
podcast

Date
November 9, 2023

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Michael Egnor, Minding the Brain}

Exploring the Mind-Brain Relationship and Challenging Materialism

_{November 9, 2023

2}

Can the mind be explained in purely physical terms? Or is it something else entirely? In this interview, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor kicks off a three-part discussion with Dr. Angus Menuge about his book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. The book brings together contributors from various academic disciplines to challenge the dominant materialist paradigm in the Read More ›

Visualizatipon of human consciousness in artificial intelligence, process of thinking robot. Humanoid android on dark background with neurals connection. Created with Generative AI

^{Type
podcast

Angus Menuge, Brian Krouse, Pat Flynn, and Robert J. Marks
Date
October 12, 2023

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Brian Krouse, Minding the Brain (book), Pat Flynn, Robert J. Marks}

Minding the Brain: Unraveling the Mystery of Consciousness

_{Angus Menuge, Brian Krouse, Pat Flynn, and Robert J. Marks
October 12, 2023

2}

Are the mind and brain distinct? What is the connection between our physical brain and our mental thinking? On today’s episode, podcaster Pat Flynn concludes his conversation with the editors of the new book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. After discussing an overview of the philosophy of mind and the range of physicalist perspectives in previous Read More ›

Walking to new better world. Hope and bright future

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post

Peter Biles
Date
October 8, 2023

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
AI, Angus Menuge, Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, Consciousness, Minding the Brain, Robert J. Marks}

So AI is “Slightly Conscious” Now?

_{The AI optimists can't get away from the problem of consciousness.} _{Peter Biles
October 8, 2023

4

Philosophy of Mind}

The idea that artificial intelligence could ever become actually “intelligent” is a minority view, but it’s espoused by some brilliant minds, including Jason Lemoine, an ex-Google employee who claimed the company’s developing AI system was sentient. Lemoine isn’t alone. According to Futurism, OpenAI’s top researcher, Ilya Sutskever, claimed in a Tweet this week that “large neural networks are slightly conscious.” Noor Al-Sibai writes, He’s long been preoccupied with artificial general intelligence, or AGI, which would refer to AI that operates at a human or superhuman level. During his appearance in the AI documentary “iHuman,” for instance, he even declared that that AGIs will “solve all the problems that we have today” before warning that they will also present “the potential to create Read More ›

^{Type
podcast

Angus Menuge, Brian Krouse, Pat Flynn, and Robert J. Marks
Date
October 5, 2023

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Brian Krouse, Minding the Brain (book), Pat Flynn, Robert J. Marks}

Minding the Brain: Why Science and Philosophy Need Each Other

_{Angus Menuge, Brian Krouse, Pat Flynn, and Robert J. Marks
October 5, 2023

1}

Does science have to stay within a materialistic framework? It turns out, materialism itself isn’t science — it’s philosophy. In this episode, Pat Flynn interviews Brian Krouse, Angus Menuge, and Robert J. Marks about alternatives to materialism and how scientific exploration leads us to deeper questions that science alone can never answer. Additional Resources

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post

News
Date
October 4, 2023

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Consciousness, Materialism, Matter, Mental states, mind, Minding the Brain, Nobel Prize, Physicalism, Scientism}

When Science Points Beyond the Physical

_{The idea that science has somehow shown the irrelevance of the mind to explaining behavior is seriously confused.} _{News
October 4, 2023

3

Philosophy of Mind}

Any attempt to use science to discredit the existence of mental subjects is fatally flawed because the bedrock data for all science comes from observation.

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post

News
Date
October 3, 2023

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Atheism, brain, Brian R. Krouse, Consciousness, Materialism, Mental, Minding the Brain, Physicalism, Robert J. Marks}

The Big Problem for Physicalism

_{One physicalist theory after another has either ignored or falsified the central characteristics of consciousness} _{News
October 3, 2023

3

Philosophy of Mind}

Editor’s note: We are delighted to welcome the new book from Discovery Institute Press, Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science, edited by Angus J. L. Menuge, Brian R. Krouse, and Robert J. Marks. Below is an excerpt from Chapter 2. Look for more information at MindingtheBrain.org. By Angus Menuge The history of physicalism is one of extraordinary diversity: a wide variety of theories, with multiple versions, have jockeyed for dominance. Yet it is also a tale of persistent failure. One physicalist theory after another has either ignored or falsified the central characteristics of consciousness, intentionality, and rationality that define our mental life. We will begin by tracing the history of physicalism from the early varieties of behaviorism Read More ›

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post

News
Date
May 31, 2021

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Medicine and Health, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Access consciousness, Angus Menuge, Consciousness, Elon Musk, Featured, Neuralink, Robert J. Marks}

What Will Elon Musk’s Neuralink Really Change, If It Catches On

_{Neuralink’s computer chip implants may help restore function in people with motor or sensory disabilities} _{News
May 31, 2021

6

Artificial Intelligence, Medicine and Health, Philosophy of Mind}

Finishing the third and final podcast of the series, “Unity of Consciousness,” Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks and Angus Menuge, professor and chair of philosophy at Concordia University, had a look at entrepreneur Elon Musk’s implanted brain chip venture, the Neuralink: https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Angus-Menuge-Episode-3-rev1.mp3 This portion begins at 14:28 min. A partial transcript, Show Notes, and Additional Resources follow. Robert J. Marks: Let me end our discussion together by asking you an outlier question. Elon Musk is developing something called Neuralink. It’s a chip which goes into the brain. Its immediate application is going to be for those that are handicapped. It is going to allow them communicate directly to objects that they can’t control normally because of their handicap. Read More ›

Cells under a microscope. Cell division. Cellular Therapy. 3d illustration on a dark background

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post

News
Date
May 30, 2021

Categorized
Medicine and Health, Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Cell (biology), Featured, Robert J. Marks}

Why Don’t Changes to Our Bodies Create a Different Consciousness?

_{The sense of consciousness remains single and united despite ceaseless bodily change} _{News
May 30, 2021

6

Medicine and Health, Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind}

In the third podcast of the “Unity of Consciousness” series, Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks interviews Angus Menuge, professor and chair of philosophy at Concordia University, on unique features of human consciousness, including the question of why there really can’t be two of you. But Dr. Marks asks one final question: If consciousness is simply generated by the body, as materialists think, why don’t changes to our bodies create different consciousnesses? https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Angus-Menuge-Episode-3-rev1.mp3 This portion begins at 11:06 min. A partial transcript, Show Notes, and Additional Resources follow. Robert J. Marks: There are cells that change quite a lot. And then there are cells that don’t change a lot, for example, neurons. That is, you keep the same neurons. Read More ›

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post

News
Date
May 29, 2021

Categorized
Neuroscience, Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Conjoined twins, Featured, Michael Egnor, Personal identity, Robert J. Marks}

Life in the Plural: If There Were Two of You, Would “You” Exist?

_{According to philosopher Angus Menuge, there can’t be two of you, because two things cannot be one thing.} _{News
May 29, 2021

5

Neuroscience, Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind}

In the third podcast of the series, “Unity of Consciousness,” Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks interviews Angus Menuge, professor and chair of philosophy at Concordia University, on unique features of human consciousness, including the fact that our experiences are a unity, which has prompted some interesting thought experiments, for example those of Richard Swinburne. But here’s another one: What if there really were two of you? https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Angus-Menuge-Episode-3-rev1.mp3 This portion begins at 06:49 min. A partial transcript, Show Notes, and Additional Resources follow. Robert J. Marks: What is the idea of “too many thinkers” in philosophy? Angus Menuge (pictured): The simple view of personal identity is that your soul or your mind is always you. That’s a dualist view. Read More ›

Double exposure. A curly-haired brunette is standing in the doorway of the theater. Poster events, personality psychology. Cloak and reincarnation. Fasting alcoholic fears. Bifurcation. Made in camera

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post

News
Date
May 27, 2021

Categorized
Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Consciousness, Consciousness as unity, Featured, Michael Egnor, Richard Swinburne, Robert J. Marks}

Why Do We Stay the Same Person Over Time? Why Not Split Up?

_{It would be a total fluke if all the different clouds of atoms that produce your brain would always produce the same consciousness. But they do} _{News
May 27, 2021

6

Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind}

In the third podcast of the series, “Unity of Consciousness,” Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks interviews Angus Menuge, professor and chair of philosophy at Concordia University, on unique features of human consciousness, including the fact that our experiences are a unity, despite being scattered across many brain regions and even if our brains are split in half: But now let’s do some thought experiments, as proposed by Oxford philosopher Richard Swinburne: https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Angus-Menuge-Episode-3-rev1.mp3 This portion begins at 04:55 min. A partial transcript, Show Notes, and Additional Resources follow. Angus Menuge: There’s another problem raised by [philosopher] Richard Swinburne: He imagines that he’s going to have an operation where each of his cerebral hemispheres is placed in another person. So Read More ›