The metaphysical mind in its physical environment: Religious implications of neuroscience (original) (raw)

2002, HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

that the phenomenon of religion and religious experience are more than mere brain functions. The place of religion and the continued importance of religion and religious experience are confirmed. The metaphysical mind in its physical environment 1012 HTS 58(3) 2002 cluster of disciplines dealing with mental functioning: motor control, perception, recognition, language, memory and reasoning. 2 One branch of cognitive science deals with computer modelling of mental processes (Murphy 1998:14). Other important fields of study include behavioural neuroscience which tries to understand the neurobiological substrates of behaviour while cognitive psychology deals, among other things, with human learning and memory. Arbib (1999:81) distinguishes brain talk, mind talk and spirit talk. Brain talk speaks of lesion data, anatomy, neurophysiology and neurochemistry. Mind talk speaks of intention, action, perception, consciousness, and responsibility. Together they are regarded as neuroscience embedded within cognitive science. Spirit talk is construed as mind talk or God talk, or as something that regards our identity as being rooted in our relation with God. Although these approaches can be distinguished, they cannot be separated. Mind-brain sciences must take the whole person in its environment and different contexts into account to avoid reductionism. This seems to be an unattainable task. Such is the nature of complex systems, and the human person embodies ultimate biological complexity. 3 However, neuroscientific models for religious experience abound and challenge theologians to respond. HTS 58(3) 2002