Body & Soul

While most people throughout history have believed that we are both physical and spiritual beings, the rise of science has called the existence of the soul into question. Even many Christian intellectuals have come to view the soul as an unbiblical Greek concept. This vigorous philosophical and ethical defense of dualism will be a touchstone for discussion for years to come. 384 pages, from IVP.

Publisher Description

While most people throughout history have believed that we are both physical and spiritual beings, the rise of science has called into question the existence of the soul. Many now argue that neurophysiology demonstrates the radical dependence, indeed, identity, between mind and brain. Advances in genetics and in mapping human DNA, some say, show there is no need for the hypothesis of body-soul dualism. Even many Christian intellectuals have come to view the soul as a false Greek concept that is outdated and unbiblical. Concurrent with the demise of dualism has been the rise of advanced medical technologies that have brought to the fore difficult issues at both edges of life. Central to questions about abortion, fetal research, reproductive techologies, cloning and euthanasia is our understanding of the nature of human personhood, the reality of life after death and the value of ethical or religious knowledge as compared to scientific knowledge. In this careful treatment, J. P. Morelan