Basic HTML Version
answer: "How can Ambassador Col–
lege and
The
PLAIN
TRUTH
magazine
claim the right - have the audacity
- to really answer the ultimate ques–
tions of
mi11d
and
man
when thou–
sands of scholars and thinkers havc
becn unable to find these answcrs
throughout centuries of search ?"
first, a tangential reply:
Jf
our
generation does
NOT
find these ulti–
mate answers, no other generation will
eve1· get
the chance.
Now to the logical reply: Our age
has witnessed a gigantic explosion of
technical information. In addition, the
stifl ing shackles of tradition have been
broken. We now have full freedom
for tmly original thought.
lt
is within
this context that we seek to solve the
mind-body problem - the ultimate
question of human existence.
lt
can be soived by combining and
inten·elating the newly discovered
physical facts of contemporary brain
research with the recently tmcovered
non-physical truths of the Bible.
Contemporary brain research and
the Bible bave at least one thing in
common: their primary interest is
man- from the neck up. But from
there on, the two fields are as radically
different as is possible within the scope
of human knowledge. This is why a
cross-pollination between the two at
Ambassador College has proved so
fruitful.
It has only been in the last few
years that such a mating betwecn the
neurological sciences and Biblical
theology could yield any viable off–
spring. Only recently have the multi–
ple academic disciplines composing
brain research acquired the full range
of information necessary to properly
evaluate the human brain. And per–
haps of even more importance, only
recently has a simple understanding
of what the Bible actually
says
been
possible through the establishment of
a college free from the repressive
dogmas and stagnating myths of tra–
ditional religions - so necessary if
Bíblica! theology is to properly evaluate
the human mind.
Brain research for the human brain.
40
Biblical theology for the human
mind.
Don't pre-judge the marriage.
Put it
to
the test.
Review and Overview
In the first two articles, we saw
how the activities of the human mind
are
immeasttrabiy
more advanced than
the activities of animal brain.
In the third and fourth articles we
saw how, by contrast, the anatomy,
physiology and biochemistry of the
human brain are just barely more com–
plex than the anatomy, physiology and
biochemistry of thc whalc, dolphin
and ape brains.
How can this seerning contradiction
be explained? Only by the realization
that the human mind does in fact con–
tain a
non-phJsicai
component!
There are just no alternative ex–
planations!
If
the human braio ex–
hibited a credible physiological ex–
planation- a structure, function or
mechanism not seen in animal brain
- wouldn't rnaterialrstic scientists have
immediately publicized the data in
order to support their contention that
human beings are
lOO%
physical?
But they have not - because they can–
not.
Of course, evolutionary theorists
have long enjoyed pointing out the
overt similarities between human and
ape brains in order to corroborate
their belief that both cvolved from
the same primeva! source. It is su–
premely ironic that what they have
actually stumbled upon is the most
sigoificant scientific observation in his–
tory -
irref~ttabiy
altesting to the
necessary existence of a 11011-physicai
componen/ in the h11man mi11d.
With–
out thjs non-physical factor, man
could be nothing more than a "super
ape" (or "super dol phin"), more in–
telligent than a normal chimp ( or
dolphin) to the
same /imited
degree
that a chimp (or dolphin) is more
intelligent than a cat.
1 believe that there is a fundamental
mystery in my existence, transcending
any biological accoum of the develop-
(Contimred
Otl
page 42)
Answers to
J
N OUR
previous artides, we have
demonstrated that a non-physical
component rnust exist in the human
mind. But materialism's assertion that
the human mind can be fully ex–
plained by the human
brain alone
-
without any non-physical component
involved - can be made a very
complex philosophical case.
Sorne of the materialist's argwnents
are somewhat reasonable, others
rathcr abstruse, still others rather
ridiculous. But all sbould be an–
swered. At a future date, we will
publish a detailed analysis of both
materialism's arguments and our
counterarguments. For the present,
the following summary will suffice.
Argumeut
One:
An objection to
our employing the intrinsic cor–
tex
f
total cortex ratio as the critica!
factor which determines the leve! of
higher mental activity.
Cotmterargttment:
This ratio is not
"ours" - it is the one used by most
experts. Furthermore, we have re–
ferred to over
twemy other criteria
- all yielding the same conclusion.
Argmnmt
Two:
An
objection to
our employing any known criteria to
determine the leve! of higher mental
activity.
Cormterargttment:
Modern-day re–
search is aware of all the basic ana–
tomical structures, physiological func–
tions and biochemical mechanisms
which make the brain work. Nothing
"radically new" can
ever
be
suddenly
discovered in tbe human brain which
is not also present in chimp and
dolphin brains.
Argument T hree:
So we know all
the relevant criteria of brain function
- but perhaps we do not yet know
eno11gh
about them.
Co11nterarg11me111:
Granted, much
needs to
be
learned. But the electron
microscope has eoabled neuroanat–
omists to look at brain details of
one millionth of an inch and the
PLAIN TRUTH
June
1972