^Tagsoul

Aerial cityscape view of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge at Night

^{Type
post

Author
Peter Biles
Date
August 27, 2023

Categorized
Technology

Tagged
AI, Artificial Intelligence, Athens, Faith, god, Jerusalem, Luke Birgis, reason, religion, science, Silicon Valley, soul, Wired}

Silicon Valley is All About Use, Not Truth

_{Of Athens, Jerusalem, and the "third city"} _{Peter Biles

August 27, 2023

3

Technology}

A new article from Wired by Luke Birgis discusses the mentality and culture of Silicon Valley, and puts the technological vision of life up alongside the classic dichotomy between “Athens” and “Jerusalem.” Athens was symbolic of reason, while Jerusalem indicated the spiritual life of the soul. Figuring out a way of connecting (or disconnecting) these two mythic kingdoms has long been the task of philosophers and theologians. Need religion be separated from reason? Are science and faith naturally incompatible? These are worthy questions in their own right. Birgis, however, identifies another burgeoning kingdom that is arguably reducing both Athens and Jerusalem to hypothetical rubble: Silicon Valley. The Valley’s core philosophy is neither reason or beauty, but value, or usefulness. Birgis Read More ›

Moving Forward to Metaverse, New Technology, Web3.0, Blockchain and the Next Layer of the Internet Concepts. Man Steps into Future Door. Futuristic Tone.

^{Type
post

Author
Eric Holloway
Date
April 17, 2023

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Transhumanism

Tagged
AI, Artificial Intelligence, Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), immortality, mind, religion, soul, Speculative fiction, transhumanism}

For BitHeaven’s Sake

_{A satirical short story on the transhumanist quest (and failure) to achieve immortality} _{Eric Holloway

April 17, 2023

7

Artificial Intelligence, Transhumanism}

Bob and Sue were on their way to church one morning. On their way they ran into their friend Fred. Fred was very wealthy, a billionaire in fact. Fred waved hi. Bob and Sue waved back. They asked Fred to come with them to church. Fred said no, he had more important things to do. “What is so important,” asked Sue. “I’m off to the real deal,” beamed Fred. Bob looked confused. “Real deal about what?” “You have a fake promise of eternal life. I’m about to get the real thing.” “You can’t be serious. Start talking some sense.” “Seriously. Here’s my voucher, see it right here.” Sue grabbed the piece of paper from Fred and read it aloud. “Good for one digital immortalization Read More ›

^{Type
podcast

Author
Robert J. Marks
Date
March 9, 2023

Tagged
AI, Artificial Intelligence, Blake Lemoine, Blake Lemoine and LaMDA, Google, Isaac Asimov, LaMDA, LaMDA (claims for sentience), LaMDA (claims for understanding), LaMDA and Blake Lemoine, Robert J. Marks, sentient, soul}

Blake Lemoine and the LaMDA Question

_{Robert J. Marks

March 9, 2023

1}

In this continuation of last week’s conversation, ex-Googler Blake Lemoine tells Robert J. Marks what originally got him interested in AI: reading the science fiction of Isaac Asimov as a boy in rural Louisiana. The two go on to discuss and debate sentience in AI, non-computable traits of human beings, and the question of the soul. Additional Resources

Butterfly on a glass ball on the beach refecting the lake and sky

^{Type
post

Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
January 17, 2023

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind, Physics

Tagged
Adam Frank, Bernardo Kastrup, Bruce Greyson, Near-death experiences, Sean Carroll, Sean Carroll on the soul, soul, Standard Model (of physics)}

Physicist: Life After Death Is Incompatible With Physics

_{In 2011, Sean Carroll wrote an essay for Scientific American on why — from a science perspective — our minds must be extinguished at death} _{Denyse O'Leary

January 17, 2023

8

Philosophy of Mind, Physics}

Back in 2011, particle physicist Sean M. Carroll wrote a guest blog at Scientific American, dismissing the idea of life after death or the immortality of the soul. He began by responding to astrophysicist Adam Frank’s reflections at NPR: For myself I remain fully and firmly agnostic on the question. If ever there was a place where firm convictions seem misplaced this is it. There simply is no controlled, experimental verifiable information to support either the “you rot” vs. “you go on” positions. In the absence of said information we are all free to believe as we like but, I would argue, it behooves us to remember that truly “public” knowledge on the subject — the kind science exemplifies — Read More ›

zen garden meditation stone background with stone and lines in sand for relaxation balance and harmony spirituality or spa wellness

^{Type
post

Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
January 1, 2023

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind, Science

Tagged
Closer to Truth (video series), Consciousness, Consciousness as immaterial, David Chalmers, David Chalmers on dualism, Dualism, Panpsychism, Robert Lawrence Kuhn, soul, Soul in Chalmers' view}

Philosopher: I Accept Dualism But Don’t Believe in the Soul

_{David Chalmers, whose background is in physics, talks to Robert Lawrence Kuhn at Closer to Truth about his struggle to accept that the mind is immaterial} _{Denyse O'Leary

January 1, 2023

10

Philosophy of Mind, Science}

David Chalmers, the New York University philosopher who coined the term “Hard Problem of Consciousness” was willing to take the risk of openly identifying as a dualist — that is, he believes that, on evidence, the human mind is immaterial. On that view, widely accepted worldwide, the human being has a dual nature: a material body and an immaterial mind. But Chalmers draws the line at believing in the existence of a soul. Here is his discussion at Closer to Truth with Robert Lawrence Kuhn, “Is the ‘Soul’ Immortal?” (May 4, 2021, 9:06 min): The claim that human beings have or are an ‘immortal soul’ goes back to the ancient Greeks, if not further. In a pre-scientific world, it would Read More ›

Beautiful night sky, the Milky Way, moon and the trees. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

^{Type
podcast

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
August 26, 2021

Tagged
Arthur Schopenhauer, Bernardo Kastrup, Computers, Consciousness, Cosmopanpsychism, Death, dissociative identity disorder, epiphenomenal, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Intelligent design theory, Jerry Fodor, Materialism, metaphysics, Michael Egnor, mind, mutation, Near-death experiences, Panpsychism, Panpsychism (vs. materialism), Philosophy, Physics, Quantum Computing, Quantum Entanglement, Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Physics, Sabine Hossenfelder, sense, Sense of smell, Sense of touch, soul, subjective idealism, Teleology, Thomas Aquinas}

“If Nobody Looks at the Moon, Does It Exist?” and Other Metaphysical Questions

_{Michael Egnor

August 26, 2021

2}

If no one is looking at the moon, does it exist? Why has materialism been around for so long? Will computers ever be conscious? What happens to our consciousness after we die? Bernardo Kastrup tackles these questions and more with Michael Egnor in another bingecast! Show Notes 0:00:28 | Introducing Dr. Bernardo Kastrup 0:01:22 | How quantum mechanics points to Read More ›

^{Type
podcast

Author
Robert J. Marks
Date
May 27, 2021

Tagged
addiction, Adrian Owens, Aquinas, Aristotle, Benjamin Libet, Cartesian dualism, Coma, Consciousness, corpus callosotomy, corpus callosum, Dualism, eliminative materialism, Emergence, free will, frontal lobotomy, Hebb's Law, hylomorphism, Materialism, mind, mind-body dualism, mind-body problem, Neuroscience, non-overlapping magisteria, open brain operations, Panpsychism, predestination, qualia, Roger Sperry, soul, Spirit, split-brain surgery, Terri Schiavo, Wilder Penfield}

Bingecast: Michael Egnor on the Human Brain

_{Robert J. Marks

May 27, 2021

3}

In this Bingecast episode, Dr. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Michael Egnor explore the human brain and its relationship to the mind. Is the mind an emergent property of the brain? Is there neurological evidence for the soul? What have brain experiments taught us about free will and the human person? Can you still think in a coma? Show Notes Read More ›

Double multiply exposure abstract portrait of a dreamy cute young woman face with galaxy universe space inside head. Human spirit, astronomy, life zen concept Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
May 6, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Angus Menuge, Featured, mind, mind-body problem, Near-death experiences (evidential), Rene Descartes, Robert J. Marks, soul}

How Do We Know We Are Not Just Physical Bodies?

_{The mind–body problem is one of the most difficult issues in modern philosophy} _{News

May 6, 2021

8

Philosophy of Mind}

In this week’s podcast, Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks interviews Concordia University philosopher Angus Menuge on the notoriously difficult mind–body problem. Dr. Marks asks, “Is there a part of you that is not physical? Are we meat puppets limited to scientific analysis described totally by the laws of nature? “ That’s the mind–body problem! It’s more complex today because some claim we will build computers that have minds like humans (but not bodies like humans). But first, how do we know we are not just bodies? https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Mind-Matters-133-Angus-Menuge.mp3 This portion begins at 04:06 min. A partial transcript, Show Notes, and Additional Resources follow. Angus Menuge (pictured): Well, the real question is how two such different realms can relate. If Read More ›

Creative background, the human brain on a blue background, the hemisphere is responsible for logic, and responsible for creativity. different hemispheres of the brain, 3D illustration, 3D render

^{Type
podcast

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
April 22, 2021

Tagged
Aristotelianism, Aristotle, Idealism, metaphysics, Near-death experiences, Neuroscience, out-of-body experiences, Plato, soul, Thomas Aquinas, Thomism}

Bruce Gordon on the Meaning of Neuroscience (Part III)

_{Michael Egnor

April 22, 2021

1}

In this third and final episode with Dr. Bruce Gordon, host Michael Egnor picks Gordon’s brain on the overlaps between historical metaphysical perspectives and modern neuroscience. What does St. Thomas Aquinas have to say about metaphysical realities, and how does that compare to Plato’s idealism? Who is right? And what can near-death experiences and other phenomena tell us about the Read More ›

World Alzheimer’s day concept. Human hands holding brain of earth over blurred blue nature background. Elements of this image furnished by NASA

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 2, 2020

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Natural Intelligence, Neuroscience

Tagged
Animal Intelligence, Cell intelligence, Crows, Dogs, Featured, Geoffrey Simmons, Hit Refresh, Michael Egnor, Robert J. Marks, Roger Penrose, Satya Nadella, Shadows of the Mind, soul, Spirit, split-brain surgery}

Why a Science Fiction Writer Thinks Life Is More Than Just Matter

_{Many animals and even bacteria show behavior that smacks of thinking, he says} _{News

October 2, 2020

8

Arts & Culture, Natural Intelligence, Neuroscience}

Science fiction author and retired internist Geoffrey Simmons talks about the amazing intelligence that life forms, even cells, show. Read More ›

Asian women travel relax in the holiday. Standing on the mountain. Thailand

^{Type
podcast

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
August 20, 2020

Tagged
Aristotle, Bernardo Kastrup, Consciousness, cosmopsychism, decomposition problem, dissociative identity disorder, endogenous, Michael Egnor, mind, Panpsychism, Physics, Quantum Physics, Sabine Hossenfelder, Sense of smell, Sense of touch, senses, soul, Thomas Aquinas}

Bernardo Kastrup on Panpsychism and Cosmopsychism

_{Michael Egnor

August 20, 2020

1}

How do we know what happens around us? Is the whole universe conscious? Dr. Michael Egnor and Dr. Bernardo Kastrup discuss panpsychism, cosmopsychism, and conciousness. Show Notes 00:35 | Introducing Dr. Bernardo Kastrup 01:29 | Panpsychism and cosmopsychism 02:42 | Using your senses to convey information to the mind 04:24 | Communicating feelings 05:33 | Differentiating complex internal states from Read More ›

Incognito warrior in iron helmet and red cloak.

^{Type
post

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
August 3, 2020

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
___longform, Aristocracy, Aristotle, Darwinism, democracy, Edward Feser, Featured, government, Hannah Arendt, Karl Marx, Mob rule, Oligarchy, Plato, Republic (book), soul, Spirit, Timocracy, totalitarianism, Tyranny}

What would Plato Say About Antifa? Or Darwin?

_{A careful reading of Plato and Arendt goes a long way toward explaining the current scene—but it is unsettling reading} _{Michael Egnor

August 3, 2020

8

Ethics, Philosophy of Mind}

In college, I hated Plato. We read his Republic, and, as a patriot and an idealistic young (small “d”) democrat, I was appalled at the hegemony of the Guardians and at Plato’s disdain for democracy. It seemed to me that his Guardians were the archetypal totalitarians, and that it was a fundamental human right — enshrined in the Constitution — to be ruled only by consent of the governed. In my dotage, I am more sympathetic to Plato — it’s remarkable how much smarter the old philosopher has gotten in the past 40 years! I am still uncomfortable with Guardians, at least of the secular sort. But I think John Adams got it right when he observed that “our Constitution Read More ›

^{Type
post

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
July 27, 2020

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Accidental form, Aristotle, Featured, Form, Personal continuity, pre-Socratic philosophers, Problem of change, Ship of Theseus, soul, Substantial form, Susan Blackmore}

Interview With a Woman (or Women) Formerly Called Susan Blackmore

_{A professor of psychology argues that there is no continuity between our present selves and our past selves} _{Michael Egnor

July 27, 2020

6

Philosophy of Mind}

Much of modern philosophy of mind is a compendium of New Age gibberish. An exemplar of this mess is Susan Blackmore, a Visiting Professor (Psychology) at the University of Plymouth. She is an atheist, a “skeptic,” and a prolific author. When she was interviewed in 2016 about her philosophy of mind, remarkably, in addition to the usual atheist denial of immortality of the soul and of free will, she denied personal continuity over time. How does Blackmore account for the doggedly persistent sense we have of personal continuity? “Parallel processing” is her explanation. Blackmore points out that there are many brain pathways that are active simultaneously when we perceive, think, and act. What does that have to do with personal Read More ›

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
February 26, 2020

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Michael Egnor, Robert J. Marks, soul, Spirit}

What Is the Difference Between “Soul” and “Spirit”?

_{Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor explains the subtle distinction between the meaning of the two, often confused, terms} _{News

February 26, 2020

3

Philosophy of Mind}

Loosely speaking, the soul is the principle of life in a body and the spirit refers more to the immaterial aspects of the soul, which are the ability to reason and the ability to make decisions based on reason.

Michael Egnor: Is There Evidence for a Soul?

_{Robert J. Marks and Michael Egnor

February 20, 2020

1}

From the perspective of a brain surgeon, is there evidence for a soul? Is there evidence for a spirit? Robert J. Marks discusses neuroscience, brain surgery, the soul, and the spirit with Dr. Michael Egnor. Read More ›

^{Type
podcast

Author
Robert J. Marks and Michael Egnor
Date
February 13, 2020

Tagged
Cartesian dualism, Dualism, eliminative materialism, Emergence, hylemorphism, hylomorphism, immateriality, Materialism, Michael Egnor, mind, mind-body dualism, Mind-Brain Distinction, Neuroscience, Panpsychism, qualia, Roger Scruton, soul}

Michael Egnor: Is Your Brain the Same as Your Mind?

_{Robert J. Marks and Michael Egnor

February 13, 2020

2}

Is the mind an emergent property of the brain? Or is there something else going on? Robert J. Marks discusses the different theories of the mind — including materialism, panpsychism, and dualism — with Dr. Michael Egnor. Read More ›

^{Type
podcast

Author
JP Moreland and Michael Newton Keas
Date
January 30, 2020

Tagged
anti-depressants, brain, brain trauma, catastrophism, dopamine, Finding Quiet (book), grooves, immateriality, J. P. Moreland, Materialism, Neurons, panic attack, refocusing, serontonin, soul, spirituality}

Bingecast: JP Moreland on Changing the Pathways of Your Brain

_{JP Moreland and Michael Newton Keas

January 30, 2020

3}

Philosopher JP Moreland shares how twice he was incapacitated for months by panic attacks and anxiety. His new book, Finding Quiet, seeks to make the most of his suffering, condensing the crucial lessons learned from his research. He and guest host Mike Keas address the relative evidence for the soul and the brain, the integration of faith with knowledge from Read More ›

^{Type
post

Author
Eric Holloway
Date
August 12, 2019

Categorized
Natural Intelligence, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Human exceptionalism, Macaques, Querius, soul, Transgenics}

Are Monkeys with Some Human Genes Partly Human?

_{If they are somewhat smarter than other macaques, do they have minds and souls?} _{Eric Holloway

August 12, 2019

6

Natural Intelligence, Philosophy of Mind}

In my ongoing dialogue with Querius, I say no; a human is not reducible to a handful of genes.

Chinese Technocracy Surges Ahead with AI Surveillance

_{So what do the reservations expressed, about “the soul” and “love,” really mean?} _{Denyse O'Leary

July 22, 2019

7

Data Privacy, Ethics, Philosophy of Mind, Technocracy}

Both big tech entrepreneurs Kai-Fu Lee and Jack Ma seem to believe in souls but do not believe that souls can be trusted with freedom, the way governments can.

Is Your Brain More a Muscle or a Cloud?

_{JP Moreland discusses the habits of anxiety and depression and how to defeat them} _{JP Moreland and Michael Newton Keas

July 11, 2019

1}

With guest host Mike Keas, JP Moreland discusses his new book, Finding Quiet. He addresses the relative evidence for the soul and the brain, the integration of faith with knowledge from the social and natural sciences, and biblical and practical ways to retrain your brain and body to defeat habits of anxiety and depression. Show Notes 01:15 | Knowledge of Read More ›