I listened to a recent NPR story on Dr. David Eagleman, author of "Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain" (Pantheon, 2011). In addition to discussing the way in which the brain makes contracts with itself, Dr. Eagleman also expounds on how the brain handles time as well as the hypothesis that God is nothing more than a creation of our brains as they try to make sense of the world. Eagleman calls himself a "possibilian," meaning one who believes every possible hypothesis ought to be given equal weight in undergoing scientific examination, no matter how far-fetched it sounds. Oddly enough, the hypothesis that God exists does not appear to qualify. I invite you to read the transcript here, especially this section on God and the brain, a little more than halfway down the webpage.
This is not at all my first encounter with this question. A classmate of mine in graduate school currently studies Islam, Neuroscience, and the Philosophy of Mind, positing this same hypothesis as it relates to the religion of Islam. In some sense, when we talk of Christianity, we are discussing beliefs and the origin of those beliefs.
What do you think? Are beliefs merely the result of neural firings in the brain? How can we be sure either way? Are we able to reconcile neuroscience with 'truth' - with what we know to be true and beliefs that seem to be more than just a "lightening storm" (to use Eagleman's description of neural firings)? What do you think of Dr. Eagleman's hypothesis?
Arguments for material reductionism (the belief that all our behaviors, feelings, and thoughts can be explained entirely by neural firings, for instance) cannot explain experiences which run in contradiction of biological pre-dispositions. In other words, if material reductionism is true, then all of my actions ought to be predestined by my biology. Many would say, "Of course, hence why would you choose to limit yourself through religious belief? Why not give in to your biological desires for sex, food, drink, letting go of your anger, etc.?" But I have found freedom from these desires and freedom from limitation in Christianity. It's a contradiction, but no less true. In marriage, for example, I must limit myself constantly in order to love my wife. Her needs must always come before mine in order to show her how much I love her. Therefore, I cannot give in to my every desire. However, should the limitations I set for myself overwhelm my care and concern for her, then I'm leading as an authoritarian, and no one in my family will be happy. Love conquers all. And this love cannot be explained merely through material reduction. Call it "emergence," if you're that far into philosophy. Or call it grace, a gift from God. Either way my neural firings merely serve this phenomenon, not call it into being.
ReplyDelete