Due to the rapid development of philosophical rationalism and modern neurobiology, it seems that modern people are doubting the substance of the human soul that was traditionally accepted. These changes are now affecting even christian theology. Some ...
Due to the rapid development of philosophical rationalism and modern neurobiology, it seems that modern people are doubting the substance of the human soul that was traditionally accepted. These changes are now affecting even christian theology. Some people, such as christian monistic physicalists, even try to explain the doctrines of the Bible without the concept of human soul. Denying the substance of the soul, christian physicalists argue that physicalism is more biblical than traditional dualism. Physicalists claim that Calvin and other reformers misinterpreted the Bible. As a result, the dualistic anthropology became predominant in christian theology. These claims are a serious challenge and threat to the Bible and reformed theology. Still, there are not many papers in Korea that attempt to approach this matter and defend the substance of human soul and biblical dualism. The following will provide evidence that traditional dualism is more biblical than monistic physicalism.
To do so, first monistic physicalism will be carefully examined by looking into the claims of the two known physicalists, Nancy Murphy and Van Peursen, Then, their statements will be countered on the reformed theological perspective.
Chapter Ⅱ will introduce in detail the non-reductive physicalism of Nancy Murphy, then contradict her theory in multiple ways. According non-reductive physicalism of Nancy Murphy, the substance of human soul is not necessary in explaining human beings. The existence of intellectual, moral, and spiritual capacity in human beings can be briefly explained by the function of the brain, but more precisely by also looking into humans’ social and cultural life, and most importantly by the relationship between God. In other words, human beings can be fully defined intellectually, morally, and spiritually without accepting the existence of the human soul.
Nancy Murphy states that the non-reductive physicalism can support theology, science, and philosophy overall. But Nancy Murphy’s anthropology, the non-reductive physicalism, faces the following problems on the reformed theological perspective.
First, Murphy's non-reductive physicalism shows flaws by failing to interpret the bible correctly. Murphy tends to uniformly generalize the term of ‘nephesh’, ‘psyche’ and ‘pneuma’ into ‘life.’ But the term of ‘nephesh’, ‘psyche’ and ‘pneuma’ in the Bible so often represent the human soul after death as a concept of non-material composition of man. Therefore, we can not deny the existence of human being after death.
Second, Murphy's non-reductive physicalism conflicts with the traditional reformed doctrine, such as christology. Murphy's anthropology breaks away from orthodox christology and turns toward physical christology. These claims are not supported by the bible nor by reformed theology.
Third, Murphy's non-reductive physicalism implies emergent evolution based on Darwinian theory of evolution. But the Bible does not endorse any form of evolution.
Fourth, Murphy's non-reductive physicalism denies the intermediate state, a significant doctrine sustained and emphasized on the reformed theology.
Lastly, Murphy's non-reductive physicalism has a problem about personal identity after death. Denying the substance of the soul, Murphy depends on the theory of immediate resurrection and extinct-recreation to explain personal identity, but the Bible and reformed theology support the theory of intermediate state-final resurrection. The claim that personal identity is guaranteed on the basis of his own soul is most reasonable on the Bible and reformed perspective. Therefore, Murphy's non-reductive physicalism has serious problems on the Bible and reformed perspective.
Chapter Ⅲ will analyze the monistic anthropology of Van Peursen, then disprove his theory. Van Peursen states that the unity of body and soul is revealed in most of history of philosophy: such as in the world view of primitive man, in ancient Greece ideology, and even in the Bible. Redefining the term ‘soul’ into ‘man itself’, Van Peursen presents the monistic anthropology of his own. But Van Peursen’s monistic anthropology has the following problems on the reformed theological perspective.
First, to prove his point, Van Peursen continuously interpretate the terms about ‘man’ throughout the history of philosophy in a way that will support his theory, ‘the unity of body and soul.’ This seems to overly one-sided and unfair.
Second, Van Peursen interprets most terms related to man in the Bible holistically and monistically. He tends to interpret not only the term ‘nephesh’, ‘basar’, and ‘ruach’ in The Old Testament, but also the term ‘soma’, 'sarx, ‘pneuma’ in The New Testament holistically and monistically. However, ‘nephesh’ and ‘pneuma’ in the Bible often represent the human soul after death as a concept of non-material composition of man.
Third, Van Peursen actively accepts the theory of evolution. But the Bible can not be harmonized with the theory of evolution. And Van Peursens’ position to accept the theory of evolution is a great threat to christian faith and theology.
finally, Van Peursen’s monistic anthropology tends to physicalism, denies the substance of the human soul, and conflicts with reformed eschatology. Therefore, Van Peursen’s monistic anthropology has serious problems on the Bible and reformed perspective.
In conclusion, Murphy's non-reductive physicalism and Van Peursen’s monistic anthropology conflict with the Bible and reformed theology.