Terminology Tuesday: Mind-body problem

The metaphysical problem about the nature of the mind and its relation to the body. Called by philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) the “world-knot” because of its ties to so many of the central problems in philosophy, the mind-body problem remains a major mystery. Most secular philosophers today espouse some form of materialism, which rejects the existence of the mind or soul as a separate, nonphysical entity. However, there is little agreement as to which form of materialism is successful or how materialism can account for such phenomena as consciousness and the “intentionality” or referential dimension of mental states (the power of mental states, such as beliefs, hopes and fears, to be about something else, as when I believe that God exists or hope for the second coming). Traditional religious views that affirm life after death have usually opted for some form of dualism, which would seem to make possible both a disembodied afterlife (on some conceptions of the soul or mind) and a resurrected afterlife, in which the soul enlivens or animates a new body. Materialists who hold to a resurrected afterlife must hold that the new body is identical to the body that died, a problematic claim.

Evans, C. S. (2002). Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (pp. 75–76). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

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Richard Porter is apologetics ministry leader at Calvary Church of West Hartford in Connecticut and a Chapter Director with Ratio Christi. Richard has studied apologetics for over a decade. Prior to his conversion, apologetics was a huge part of what God used to reel him in to the faith. From the popular works of Lee Strobel to the more academic defenses of Christianity by William Lane Craig, apologetics has always caught his eye. He has a passion for equipping Christians to defend the faith and hopes to one day be in full-time ministry. He also has aspirations to pursue an academic career of his own if the Lord permits. In his spare time Richard enjoys exploring New Testament studies and analytic philosophy. In addition to his intellectual pursuits, Richard also enjoys kettlebell and martial arts training – particularly Brazilian and Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. He also has two sons that are being trained as young apologists and martial artists.

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