I've generally felt it is worth making a distinction between the brain and the mind--the mind is what is mediated by the brain. I'm inclined to affirm free will and think our conscious self is capable of top-down causation. I don't know how or if that version of a mind maps to Biblical nouns like spirit and soul, and I wonder to what extent we are obliged to affirm those precise categories as Christians and to what extent they were the closest available options in Greek metaphysics of the time. I tend to attracted to … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Do You Mind?
psychology
Science Corner: Hacking your Donor List
Happy New Year and welcome to 2019 to all of you using the Gregorian calendar. If your experience is anything like mine, your 2018 wrapped up with a blitz of requests for end-of-year charitable contributions. I appreciate that year's end is a crucial time for many nonprofits, as some donors are looking to finalize their income tax circumstances and others are just feeling extra generous because of the holiday season. And there are many worthy causes that could always make use of a few extra dollars, from your local food … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Hacking your Donor List
Science Book Club: When Science & Christianity Meet Ch 10
The more we evolve, the less we need God. That's the proposition up for debate in a recent Intelligence Squared event. And if that phrasing wasn't enough to raise the eyebrows of Christians, the pro-God side is represented by Deepak Chopra and Anoop Kumar, who share a concept of God that seems more pantheistic than personal. Of course, no two people could represent the full range of religious beliefs, and in many other comparable debates or dialogues one or a few Christians wind up standing for all believers of all … [Read more...] about Science Book Club: When Science & Christianity Meet Ch 10
Interview: 2016 Christian Scholars’ Foundation Grant Recipient Carrie Bredow
In this interview, 2016 Christian Scholars' Foundation Grant Recipient Carrie Bredow describes the psychology research she's carrying out with the grant and talks about how her faith and academic work interact. For more information about the Christian Scholars' Foundation Grant, see this post. Applications are closed for 2018 are open, click here to learn more. … [Read more...] about Interview: 2016 Christian Scholars’ Foundation Grant Recipient Carrie Bredow
Science Corner: Seeing is Remembering
My mom tells a story of the day she believes she watched me learn object permanence. I was playing with a farm set; I'd drop all of the people and farm animals out of sight behind the barn, then gleefully move it to prove my toys were all still there. We all figure out at a very early age that our moms, our dads, our toys and everything else are persistent objects that we can see again and again. We learn this feature of reality well before we are aware of our own thought process, so most of us never a chance to reflect … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Seeing is Remembering