Is the soul a myth? Does your mind really just boil down to brain function? On a new episode of ID the Future, I spoke with journalist Denyse O’Leary about surprising findings out of neuroscience that shatter materialist assumptions. O’Leary is co-author with Dr. Michael Egnor of The Immortal Mind: A Neurosurgeon’s Case for the Existence of the Soul.
The materialist claim that the human mind is simply the physical functions of the brain now dominates the field of neuroscience. But new evidence is challenging that assertion. O’Leary begins by reporting on the unexpected results of a multi-year study on the origin of consciousness, suggesting that the prefrontal cortex portion of the brain, often emphasized in popular literature, matters “significantly less than scientists had thought it would” in relation to consciousness.
Clinically studied near-death experiences (NDEs) also present a significant challenge to materialism. O’Leary discusses veridical NDEs in particular, where people who are clinically dead (with a flat EEG) report verifiable observations, strongly suggesting that the human mind can operate independently of the brain. O’Leary refutes common materialist explanations for NDEs.
O’Leary explains that materialists will often resort to what’s known as “promissory materialism,” akin to a perpetually unfulfilled promise that future research will shed light on the material basis of consciousness. She notes that science articles on the topic often conclude with the expectation that future research will confirm a materialist view. This approach means that no amount of contrary evidence is acceptable, as new information is simply shoehorned into a materialist interpretation or ignored. O’Leary suggests that the only way to move beyond materialism is to reject it as a model entirely. Download the podcast or listen to it here.
Dig Deeper
- Order your copy of the new book The Immortal Mind today!
- Watch our interview with Dr. Michael Egnor: