How Free is Free?

ISBN:

09544194

URL:

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=15306190&site=ehost-live

Keywords:

CHRISTIANS; DETERMINISM (Philosophy); LIBERTY; NEUROPSYCHOLOGY; NEUROSCIENCES; THOUGHT & thinking; determinism; genetics; behaviour; cognition; mind/brain relations; dualism

Abstract:

It is widely recognised that some of the implications of rapid developments in neuroscience raise with a fresh urgency questions of human freedom and responsibility. These are issues for humanists and atheists as much as for Christians since all claim that their often deeply held beliefs were rationally considered and freely embraced. However, the evidence from bottom-up neuro-scientific research points to the ever-tightening links between brain processes and mental processes and have been interpreted by some as pointing to a reductionist view of human nature. At the same time, with the use of new brain imaging techniques the evidence for the efficacy of top-down processes also accumulates at an accelerating pace. This paper argues that there is an irreducible interdependence between cognitive and neural processes calling for a duality of description but without necessitating belief in a dualism of substances.

Notes:

J1: Science & Christian Belief; M3: Article; Jeeves, Malcolm 1; Affiliations: 1: Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University of St. Andrews, Scotland; Source Information: Oct2004, Vol. 16 Issue 2, p101; Subject Term: CHRISTIANSSubject Term: DETERMINISM (Philosophy)Subject Term: LIBERTYSubject Term: NEUROPSYCHOLOGYSubject Term: NEUROSCIENCESSubject Term: THOUGHT & thinking; Author-Supplied Keyword: determinismAuthor-Supplied Keyword: neuropsychologyAuthor-Supplied Keyword: geneticsAuthor-Supplied Keyword: behaviourAuthor-Supplied Keyword: cognitionAuthor-Supplied Keyword: mind/brain relationsAuthor-Supplied Keyword: dualism; Number of Pages: 22p; Document Type: Article