This book provides a critique of naturalistic views of subjects and agency, arguing that these are conditioned ways of conceiving of the mind and the cosmos. It draws on the relevant literature on substance dualism, idealism, and theism to draw out the implications for a theistic view of the world.
In contemporary analytic philosophy of mind, naturalism is the default position for thinking about the mind in relation to the world. This book argues that we should reconsider naturalistic paradigms in favor of a more holistic and bigger picture of the mind. It defends a form of theistic dualism in light of varying naturalistic trends that, arguably, place limiting pressures on our constructive views of humans as ensouled beings. The book takes seriously the notion of first-person phenomenological perspectives as the starting point for constructing a metaphysical view of the world. The author’s arguments touch on the topics of consciousness, dualism, cosmic purpose, science and religion, and the meaning of life. He proceeds to explore the implications of deconditioning on the philosophy of mind, theism, science, and the social sciences.
God, Souls, and Consciousness will appeal to scholars and graduate students working in the philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, religion and science, and analytic theology.
Introduction Part 1: Visions of the World 1. Two Images of Mind and World 2. Considering Cartesianism: DeConditioning through Descartes 3. A few Arguments for Cartesian Minds Part 2: Naturalistic Options 4. Theistic Alternative: Blending Theism and Naturalism 5. Keeping Theism SuperNatural: Considering Cartesian Theism and Ultimate Reality Part 3: Theistic Paradigm and Methodology 6. Continuing Deconditioning and Theistic Options 7. NDE’s, OBE’s, and Deconditioning of the Mind 8. Theistic Dualism and Methodological Dualism Conclusion: Beyond the Conditioning of Naturalism
Joshua R. Farris is an Anglican priest, canon theologian, visiting research professor at Ruhr University Bochum, and professor at Kairos University. He is the director of Soul Science Ministries. He has recently published The Creation of Self and is co-editor of The Origin of the Soul.
Reviews for God, Souls, and Consciousness: Deconditioning the Mind from Naturalism
“The problems of mind and consciousness and their ultimate (divine?) source are perennial ones. Farris is on the cutting edge of this discussion in current analytic philosophy. In this book, he lays out the options and suggests a Cartesian solution in a manner that will capture the interest of every philosophical and theological reader. Highly recommended.” Matthew Levering, James N. Jr. and Mary D. Perry Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary, USA
