Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagMichael Egnor

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Omega, the letter of a Greek alphabet. Greek numerals, mathematical eight hundred number concept. Abstract, digital, wireframe, low poly mesh, Raster blue neon 3d illustration. Triangle, line dot

Podcast: Free Will, Determinism, and the Immortal Soul

Michael Egnor explains, to claim, “There is no free will,” is to make a rational argument while denying the very capacity that makes rational argument possible

In an intellectually rich discussion on Mind Matters News, neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Egnor and host Dr. Robert J. Marks explore the scientific, philosophical, and theological dimensions of free will, determinism, and the immaterial nature of the soul. The conversation centers around contents of the new book The Immortal Mind by Egnor and Denyse O’Leary. What emerges is a compelling case not only for the reality of free will, but also for the immortality of the human soul, grounded in reason and neuroscience. The self-refuting nature of free will denial The conversation begins with an analogy: If a spilled bottle of ink coincidentally formed the words “It’s going to snow,” no one would believe that message had real meaning. Similarly, Egnor Read More ›

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The image contains various celestial objects and mathematical calculations subtly illustrated on a dark starry background, ideal for space and science enthusiasts.

Michael Egnor on Faith, Reason, and the Architecture of Reality

In this week’s podcast, discussion with Robert J. Marks, he talks about the relationship between arguments from philosophical reasoning and faith
Egnor describes faith as a deep relationship that may not always yield happiness about life circumstances but fosters lasting joy, independent of circumstances. Read More ›
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Multiracial team of professional medical surgeons performs the surgical operation in a modern hospital. Doctors are working to save the patient. Medicine, health and neurosurgery.

Two Neurosurgeons on Life, Death, Eternity and What Truly Matters

Lee Warren interviews Michael Egnor on the just-released book, The Immortal Mind
The two doctors turned out to share a bond of personal pain as well as immortal hope. Read More ›
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A man observes a wall filled with colorful sketches and notes, representing creativity and brainstorming in a workspace.

Information, Evolution & AI: A Conversation with William Dembski

In discussion with neurosurgeon Michael Egnor, Dembski stresses that AI is a tool, not a mind. Treating it otherwise leads to addiction, manipulation, and cultural decline
Information isn’t free, Dembski says, and machines aren’t magic. By remembering what makes us human, we can use technology without losing ourselves to it. Read More ›
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Close up view of beautiful colored dramatic cumulus fluffy clouds on blue sky at sunset background

Michael Egnor: Science Offers Evidence of an Immaterial Mind

At the Knight and Rose show, he and co-author Denyse O’Leary talk about how split-brain surgeries, veridical near-death experiences, and terminal lucidity challenge materialist views of the mind.
In their book, The Immortal Mind, Egnor and O'Leary argue that an immaterial, immortal soul best explains human consciousness, free will, and abstract thought. Read More ›
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Big data and artificial intelligence concept. Human brain glowing from processor, symbolizing the fusion of human intelligence and machine learning capabilities. Evolution of technology of data.

Bill Dembski: The Power of Information and the Limits of AI

If you’re going to binge anyone, it might as well be Bill Dembski. On this episode of Mind Matters News, get your fill of insight and wisdom from Dr. Dembski, a senior fellow at Discovery Institute and a Distinguished Fellow with the Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence. Here, he is interviewed by neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Egnor. The Read More ›

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Meditative state of mind concept. Ai generative

The Immortal Mind: How Neuroscience Points Beyond Materialism

Andrew McDiarmid interviews neurosurgeon Michael Egnor on the ways in which the mind is more than the brain
After defining terms, Egnor begins exploring the compelling evidence he has gathered across four decades of practice in neurosurgery. Read More ›
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illustration showing a silhouette of a human head surrounded by expressive thought bubbles with various symbols and punctuation marks representing diverse mental processes.

The Mind Beyond the Brain: Insights from a Neurosurgeon

Dr. Michael Egnor argues, “There’s something about the relationship between the mind and the brain that’s not in the textbooks.”
Egnor’s work invites readers to reconsider the mysteries of the mind, urging a more open and curious approach to understanding human consciousness. Read More ›
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mind, body, spirit, soul and you

Michael Egnor: Your Spiritual Soul Has No Off Switch

Here is Dr. Egnor’s talk at the Dallas Conference last February, where he discussed some themes from The Immortal Mind, to be published June 3
He makes the case—based on 40 years of practice and over 7,000 brain surgeries—that science has gotten it all wrong about the soul. Read More ›
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Sunrise on mountain with foggy in Medicine lake at Jasper

Here’s Neurosurgeon Mike Egnor on Sean McDowell’s Show

With a couple of revealing excerpts from the transcript
The soul can seem a bit of a mystery because the popular idea of the soul, as a sort of “ghost” is not the traditional philosophical (or Christian) one. Read More ›
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A Neurosurgeon Makes the Neuroscience Case for Free Will

Michael Egnor is concerned about the serious social implications of denying free will
Insisting that there is no free will amounts to declaring “I’m a meat robot, so take seriously what I’m saying.” That’s self-refuting nonsense, Dr. Egnor says. Read More ›
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A human head with glowing neurons in the brain. Generative AI

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
Many philosophers have concluded both from experience and careful consideration that mental phenomena cannot be reduced to neural mechanisms. Read More ›
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Brain psychology mind soul and hope concept art, 3d illustration, surreal artwork, imagination painting, conceptual idea

Can Christianity Just Abandon the Idea of the Soul?

Theologian Nancey Murphy thinks that the Christian tradition can do without the idea of a soul, by relying only on faith in a bodily resurrection
The view Murphy outlines at Closer to Truth has more in common with modern materialism than with a traditional Christian understanding of the human soul. Read More ›
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Brain psychology mind soul and hope concept art, 3d illustration, surreal artwork, imagination painting, conceptual idea

Beyond Materialism: Exploring the Mind-Brain Relationship

Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and philosopher Angus Menuge probe the relationship through philosophy, neuroscience, and information theory
Understanding the mind in terms of information processing, rather than as a byproduct of brain activity, could reshape the debate. Read More ›
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Doctor writing on a clipboard in a high-tech medical environment, monitors displaying vital signs

5. NDEs: The Enduring Mystery of the Pam Reynolds Case

There can be no question that Reynolds was dead when she had an NDE during a risky operation. To succeed, the procedure required her to be dead…
As evidence for NDEs accumulates, we hear from cardiologists rather than mediums on the subject and that is a promising development for future research. Read More ›
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Illustration of synapse and neuron on a blue background.

Brain Imaging Study Shows That Intelligence Uses the Whole Brain

A focus on specific regions like the prefrontal cortex can mislead. When we are thinking, we use brain-wide connections between many parts of the brain at once
It’s not that the textbooks are wrong; they are just not telling the whole story. Read More ›
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Brain mind way soul and hope concept art, illustration, surreal mystery artwork, imagination painting, conceptual idea of success

The Rational Soul: Rethinking Materialism with Neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Egnor

In this episode, Pat Flynn and Dr. Michael Egnor conclude their discussion of Dr. Egnor’s contribution to the recent volume Minding the Brain. Flynn and Dr. Egnor discuss Thomistic dualism and its relation to neuroscience and the soul. Thomistic dualism is the belief that the soul is a separate entity from the body and that the rational aspects of the soul, Read More ›

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A stunning visual of a brain split into two halves, showcasing electric energy in contrasting colors, symbolizing creativity and logic.

What Did Splitting Human Brains in Half Tell Us About the Mind?

How did split brain study subjects compare things when no part of their brains saw both things?
As Michael Egnor told Pat Flynn, research of this sort — where split brains provide united perceptions — is an unacknowledged problem for materialism. Read More ›
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Epilepsy awareness concept: human face with copy space. epilepsy or seizure disorder.

What Brain Surgery for Epilepsy Taught Us About the Human Mind

Michael Egnor continues his discussion with Pat Flynn, noting that neither seizures nor Penfield’s brain stimulation provoked abstract thought
The claim that we will find a materialist explanation some day, no date specified, means that we never reckon with failure to do so. Read More ›
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AI robot profile, Section showing the brain and internal working system, AI generated.

Science Writer: No Way To Tell If AI Is Conscious

Absent a definition of consciousness, it might not be possible to prove extravagant claims wrong
The difficulty of defining consciousness could very well be one of the reasons why tech moguls can get away with extravagant claims about conscious AI. Read More ›