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An Emergent Monistic Claim for Free Will and the Soul Paul Figel Department of Biology; College of Arts and Sciences Abilene Christian University

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An Emergent Monistic Claim for Free Will and the Soul Paul Figel Department of Biology; College of Arts and Sciences Abilene Christian University Neuroscience and the Soul Mollifying Neuroscience and Christian Faith: An Emergent Monistic Claim for Free Will and the Soul Paul Figel Department of Biology; College of Arts and Sciences Abilene Christian University Modern neuroscience makes it difficult for one to support a case for substance dualism regarding the existence of a soul and free will. The neuroscientific evidence stems from several experiments in which test subjects were instructed to perform a simple voluntary movement. Scientists consistently observed neurological antecedents preceding the subject’s conscious decision to perform the action. An examination of these experiments and the conclusions drawn will show several key inconsistencies that weaken the extreme anti-conscious will claim. However, it is important to not reject the neurological evidence against substance dualism, but instead discover a new perspective (e.g. emergent monism) that coincides with both science and the Christian Gospel. “God of the Gaps” refers an reject the neuroscientific evidence solely argument often used by atheists describing because it implies their traditional beliefs to the tendency for some Christians to use be false. A philosophical view of human free inconsistencies or “gaps” in knowledge as will and the soul entails one that coincides evidence of God’s existence. When science with both scientific evidence and Scripture. is able to progress and fill in these gaps with Emergent monism, the belief that our natural explanations, this removes God higher consciousness is an emergent further from the conversation. property from the natural process of Unfortunately, many Christians evolution and that this soul is not distinct, succumb to this tendency when discussing but unified with the body, provides the best the existence of the human soul and free perspective to ease tension between the will. Scientific evidence shows neurological implications derived from scientific research antecedents preceding an individual’s and the Christian Gospel. conscious will to act. Many scientists claim this implies the human soul or human free The Anti-Conscious Will Lobby will is illusory. These scientists are referred Many scientists conclude that a to as the Anti-Conscious Will lobby and conscious will does not exist. Modern they are lead in part by psychologist Daniel science postulates that the perception of Wegner neuroscientist Benjamin Libet.1 conscious will results from random synaptic Critiques of the experiments and data firings in the brain; thus, conscious will is a behind this extreme claim will show there is mere “epiphenomenon or an illusion”.2 not sufficient evidence to support the idea. Daniel Wegner and Benjamin Libet are the Gaps exist in this anti-conscious will claim; key proponents of this position. Wegner, a however it is important for Christians to not psychology professor at Harvard, attacked use this gap as an argument for God’s free will based on data from several existence. In addition, Christians should not psychology studies and concepts to show 1 Clarke 2014, 11 2 Torrance 2003, 134 Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2015-Spring 2016 |Volume 3 1 Neuroscience and the Soul conscious will has no causal effect on to automate this process In addition, many human nature and is therefore illusory. times we can be unconsciously influenced Wegner showed humans have an innate by our surroundings. Psychologists have drive be considered as causal agents. This shown if subjects placed in a room see a drive can lead humans to assume conscious library painting on a wall they tend to talk control over external behavior and therefore more softly. It has also been shown that responsible for the action.3 Along with this when subjects smell cleaning agent, he or evidence, Wegner focused on the she will keep the environment in which they experiments performed by Benjamin Libet, are placed cleaner.5 Libet’s experiment which have been used to attack free will and serves to explain these ideas and the range to the existence of a soul. which they apply. In the 1960s, a group of scientists In his experiment, Libet instructed observed a slow build-up of electrical experimental subjects to flex their fingers or potential occurring in the brain almost a their wrists while he would monitor their second before a voluntary action was brain activity, specifically the RP. Subjects conducted by test subjects. Benjamin Libet would be asked to estimate the time they became very interested in this electrical consciously made the decision to move (W). change that is commonly referred to as The subjects had the freedom of when to readiness potential (RP). In the Libet perform the movement but were instructed experiment, subjects were instructed to to pay close attention to the time they perform a simple movement such as flexing became consciously aware of the will to their fingers at any time they wished. During move. Libet observed something peculiar the experiment, Libet monitored the brain when comparing the onset times of RP and activity of the subjects both leading up to the W. During his experiment, Libet found that time of the movement and after the the RP began about 550 msec before the movement was completed.4 Since this action took place while W occurred only experiment, many scientists have concluded about 200msec before the movement.6 Libet our brains initiate even the simplest believed this implied that conscious movements before we are aware of our decisions to act are not the true cause of conscious decision to conduct the movement. He concluded “unconscious movement. processes appear to play the causal role in However, to claim that one does not our actions, implying our traditional notion act freely when choosing to perform a of conscious will is an illusion.”7 Daniel simple act such as moving a finger can be a Wegner, in response to the data recorded by difficult concept to grasp. Therefore, before Libet, states “conscious will is just a feeling critiquing Libet, let us first come to terms without causal potency, a post hoc with the determinist claims he made. Not interpretation, an illusion.”8 He goes on to every aspect of a movement or action is say that the human brain creates the illusion conscious. Imagine yourself walking home. of free will by confabulating motivations for For a large interval of that time your brain is the action. unconsciously causing your legs to move in Many scientists have used this a walking motion. The action may be platform to attack the existence of the mind voluntary, but your brain has the capability or soul. The conscience is associated with 3 Clarke 2014, 19 6 Clarke 2014, 11 4 Clarke 2014, 11 7 Clarke 2014, 11 5 Clarke 2014, 10 8 Clarke 2014, 19 Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2015-Spring 2016 |Volume 3 2 Neuroscience and the Soul the supernatural and is mostly considered urges. However, he soon failed the course independent from the natural brain objectives and awaited prison. Days before processes. Wegner’s statements and the he would be taken to prison, he made a trip Libet experiment seem to attack and defeat to the hospital complaining of unsteadiness certain dualistic and monistic views of the and strong drives to rape his landlady. He soul. Interactive dualism, the belief that the did not want to force her sexually but feared soul is a distinct immaterial entity in the he might. He had a headache and some body that plays a causal role in decision subtle neurological signs that prompted the making, would postulate that the mind is the staff to order a brain scan. The results source of the action, causing the showed the teacher had a large orbitofrontal neurological activity that results in motion. brain tumor. They quickly prepped him for Dual aspect monism, the belief that the soul surgery and removed the tumor from his is not distinct, but one with the body, would brain. Following the surgery and treatment, propose a more synchronized firing of the the man showed a significant decrease in his conscious will and neurological activity. extreme sexual drives and reported no However, Libet’s experiment and several excessive sexual urges. Two years later, it follow up experiments have showed neither was discovered he had begun collecting are the case. Scientists conclude that instead child pornography again. A brain scan of dualism or monism, the remaining revealed the tumor had returned in the same alternative is epiphenomenalism, the view spot where it originated several years that mind events are a mere byproduct of prior.11 These two cases appear to show a brain events, an illusion that has no causal significant causal relationship between brain role.9 In addition to the experimental functions and how an individual ‘is.’ From evidence, there are two popular case studies a naturalistic perspective, unconscious used to address this problem of the existence processes in the brain are the underlying of the soul. cause for all human morality and action. This first case is that of Phineas With this being the case, considering the Gage. While working on the railroad in the neurological antecedents discussed earlier, it 19th century, Phineas Gage suffered an appears free will and the soul have in fact no unfortunate accident when an iron rod went causal role in human nature. through his head and severed most of his Neuroscience claims that the human entire left frontal lobe. Gage survived the experiences of free will are delayed incident, however he suffered extreme side responses informing of the brain’s decision effects. After the incident, Gage lost much after the event has occurred. However, even of his social and personal skills. The with these conclusions, consciousness is not physician working on his case described him necessarily denied. The experiments and as a completely different person than the case studies merely show that consciousness Phineas Gage he once knew.10 The second does not affect behavior or play a causal role case is that of a 40-year-old schoolteacher in behavior.
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