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This Thesis Has Been Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for a Postgraduate Degree (E.G This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Mind Matters: Towards the Incorporation of Panpsychism from Analytic Philosophy of Mind within the Doctrine of Creation By Joanna Leidenhag Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Edinburgh 2018 Signed Declaration: I declare that this thesis has been composed solely by myself and that it has not been submitted, in whole or in part, in any previous application for a degree. Except where states otherwise by reference or acknowledgment, the work presented is entirely my own. Joanna Leidenhag …………………………………………….. Date: 17/05/2019 ii Contents Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... v Abstract ....................................................................................................................... vi Lay Summary ............................................................................................................ viii Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 A Brief Exposition of Process Theology ........................................................... 6 Chapter 1: Taking Leave of Emergence Theory ........................................................ 13 1. What is Emergence Theory? ........................................................................... 15 2. Varieties of Emergence within the Natural Sciences ...................................... 18 3. The Mystery of Emergence Theory in Philosophy of Mind ........................... 25 4. Problematic Tendencies in Emergence Theology ........................................... 35 The Father: A Dipolar Doctrine of God and Emergent Theism .................... 36 The Emergent Christ: Incarnation through Emergent Evolution .................. 40 The Spirit of Emergence: Divine Action as an Emergent Phenomenon......... 44 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 2: Welcoming Contemporary Panpsychism ................................................. 49 1.The Campaign: The Revival of Panpsychism within Philosophy of Mind ...... 50 Thomas Nagel: The ‘True Father of Contemporary Panpsychism’ ............... 50 David J. Chalmers: The Science of Consciousness ........................................ 52 Galen Strawson’s Gauntlet: The Argument for Entailment ........................... 55 Thomas Nagel Again: The Evolutionary Argument for Panpsychism ........... 58 Rounding up The Campaign ........................................................................... 60 2. The Battle: Contemporary Objections to Panpsychism .................................. 61 The Incredulous Stare Objections .................................................................. 61 The Unscientific Objection and the Question of Naturalism ......................... 64 The Objection from Explanatory Failure and Questions of Combination ..... 70 3. A New Alliance: Panpsychism and Belief in God .......................................... 83 iii Conclusion: Taking Panpsychism Forward ........................................................ 87 Historical Interlude: Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz................................................. 89 1. Monads and Panpsychism ............................................................................... 91 2. Creation ex nihilo and the Fittingness of Panpsychism .................................. 93 3. Three Arguments for Panpsychism from a Comprehensive Created Order ... 98 4. Panpsychism as a Sacramental Ontology ...................................................... 103 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 106 Chapter 4: Indwelling Creation: Panpsychism and Divine Action ......................... 107 1. Scientific Objections and Quantum Solutions: Robert J. Russell ................. 109 2. Ethical Concerns and the Process of Persuasion: David Ray Griffin ........... 119 3. Theological Dilemmas and Double-Agency: Kathryn Tanner ..................... 124 4. Panpsychism and The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit .................................... 132 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 139 Chapter 5: The Voices of Creation: Panpsychism and Ecology .............................. 141 1. Panpsychism and Ecological Philosophy ...................................................... 142 2. How a Mental Monopoly Distorts Doctrine.................................................. 150 Humanity as Microcosm, Mediator and Priest ............................................ 151 Humanity as Steward, Creation as Household ............................................ 153 Humanity as Dialogue Partner, Creation as Theatre .................................. 156 The Centrality of the Incarnate Saviour, The Periphery of Creation .......... 158 3. Panpsychism and Theological Imagination: A Proposal .............................. 162 Metaphysics and the Biblical Mythos: Nature’s Voices ............................... 162 Creation as Community: One Body, One Spirit, and One Church .............. 167 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 170 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 172 Bibliography ............................................................................................................. 176 iv Acknowledgements A PhD thesis is rarely a final statement or the author’s best work but is an application to be admitted into the academic guild. It is a piece of work that stands at the transition from student to teacher. As my final piece of work as a student, then, I wish to take this opportunity to thank all who have taught, encouraged and inspired me in both my intellectual pursuits and spiritual development. In particular, Alan J. Torrance and R.T. Mullins at the University of St. Andrews, who whet my appetite for theology and gave me helpful delusions of grandeur as an undergraduate; Bruce L. McCormack and John R. Bowlin at Princeton Theological Seminary, who taught me that one does not need delusions of grandeur to succeed as a postgraduate; to the Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities for funding this project; to the community at New College and to my two supervisors David A.S. Fergusson and Mark Harris, who treated me like an intellectual equal before I had earnt that privilege. Prof. Fergusson deserves special mention for permitting, and even encouraging, me to follow the research into the strange and bizarre world of panpsychist philosophy, for teaching me that less is almost always more, and for reading numerous drafts of the chapters presented below. Academic arguments and knowledge are nothing without love, and so my deepest appreciation goes to my friends and family who have loved and supported me throughout my life-time of study. To my parents, Harry and Alison Macdonald: who taught me the importance of education and fostered in me a love for learning; who always saw the person I could become and loved the person I am; but more importantly, who shared with me the love and grace of our Lord Jesus. It is an honour and privilege to be your daughter. To my husband, Mikael Leidenhag, who let me steal the research topic of panpsychism from him and run with it. Mikael, thank you for rejoicing with me in the good times and sticking with me in the bad times. I look forward to many future years of (PhD-free!) marriage together. It is to you that this PhD is dedicated. v Abstract This thesis argues that a theological articulation of panpsychism, within the bounds of a broadly conceived Christian orthodoxy, would be of benefit to the doctrine of creation. Panpsychism is a family of theories within philosophy of mind, which seek to explain the existence of consciousness in the human person by positing mentality (“psyche”) as fundamental and ubiquitous to the natural world (“pan”). In recent decades, emergence theory has become a popular via media between eliminative physicalism and substance dualism. However, in lieu of the inability (or refusal) of emergence theorists to provide an account of how matter gives rise to the mind, a significant group of contemporary analytic philosophers are returning to the historical concept of panpsychism as a more satisfactory alternative. Should this revival of panpsychism continue, what will the implications be for Christian theologians engaged in constructive and interdisciplinary
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