Michael Egnor

Archives

The Primacy of Information Over Matter

_{Michael Egnor and William A. Dembski
February 22, 2024}

In this episode, host Michael Egnor continues a conversation with Dr. William Dembski, a senior fellow at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, about the relationship between the mind and the body. Dembski argues that if information is considered fundamental rather than matter, it dissolves the mind-body problem. He suggests that information is not constrained by the speed of light and can be exchanged through correlations, as seen in quantum mechanics. Dembski also discusses the concept of free will and how materialism denies its existence. He explores the idea of information as a fundamental concept in the natural world, analogous to energy, and discusses conservation of information and its relevance to Darwinian evolution. Dembski concludes by suggesting that an …

My Reply to Free Will Deniers: Show Me

_{It is helpful to consider the question in this way—not “do we have free will?,” but rather “what does it mean to believe we don’t have free will?”}_{Michael Egnor
February 20, 2024}

No humans live as if we doubt free will. Free will denial is just a way for materialists to advertise themselves, like a political yard sign.

William Dembski on Information and the Mind-Body Relationship

_{William A. Dembski and Michael Egnor
February 15, 2024}

On this episode, host Michael Egnor speaks with Bill Dembski about the concept of information and its role in understanding the mind-body relationship. Dembski explains that information is a verb, representing the narrowing of possibilities and the constraining of contingency. He discusses how information can be understood in different contexts and how it relates to concepts such as meaning and communication. Dembski also introduces the concept of informational realism, which holds that information is the most fundamental aspect of reality. He argues that information is more real than matter and that even material entities disclose themselves informationally. Along the way, the interview touches on various philosophical perspectives, including idealism and Aristotelianism, and …

Where, Exactly, Is Memory Stored in the Brain?

_{The hippocampus of the brain is important for memory formation but memories are immaterial and are not really “stored” anywhere}_{Michael Egnor
February 1, 2024}

Memories during near-death experiences, when the mind is not in touch with the brain, are often clear, precise, and comprehensive.

What Christof Koch Misunderstands About the Mind and the Brain

_{In his revealing interview at Closer to Truth, the Allen Institute neuroscientist, though he doubts physicalism, attributed subjective experiences to “brains”}_{Michael Egnor
January 31, 2024}

The brain does not see, hear, feel, taste, or smell. It is the *person* who sees, hears, feels, tastes, and smells.

Leading Neuroscientist Wavers on Physical View of Consciousness

_{On Closer to Truth, Christof Koch said last month, “Consciousness cannot be explained only within the framework of space and time and energy, but we need to postulate something additional”}_{Michael Egnor
January 29, 2024}

Science is as dependent on the concept of public truth as the great religions are. Thus, when private truth rapidly gains power, it is just as vulnerable.

Evaluating Popular Theories of the Mind-Brain Relationship

_{Michael Egnor
November 23, 2023}

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the most common mind-brain theories? On today’s episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor concludes his conversation with Dr. Angus Menuge about the mind-brain relationship and the popular dualistic theories of Cartesian dualism and Thomistic dualism. Cartesian dualism posits that the mind and body are fundamentally different substances, with the mind being immaterial and the body being material. Thomistic dualism, on the other hand, sees the mind and body as one substance, with the mind being the form of a human being. Dr. Menuge presents some of the strengths and weaknesses of both theories. The conversation also touches on topics such as the unity of consciousness, near-death experiences, information realism, and the limitations of reductionist …

From Physicalism to Idealism: Challenging Assumptions about Reality

_{Michael Egnor
November 16, 2023}

Can the mind be understood independently of physical matter? On today’s episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor continues his conversation with Dr. Angus Menuge, Chair of Philosophy at Concordia University, about his book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. They discuss various models of the mind-brain problem, including idealism, which posits that matter does not exist and that the world is made up of minds or spirits and their ideas. They also explore dualism, which suggests that the mind and body are fundamentally different substances, and emergence, which proposes that mental states emerge from physical processes. Along the way, the pair touches on topics such as quantum mechanics, split-brain surgery, and the binding problem. The …

Exploring the Mind-Brain Relationship and Challenging Materialism

_{Michael Egnor
November 9, 2023}

Can the mind be explained in purely physical terms? Or is it something else entirely? In this interview, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor kicks off a three-part discussion with Dr. Angus Menuge about his book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. The book brings together contributors from various academic disciplines to challenge the dominant materialist paradigm in the study of the mind-brain relationship. Menuge explains that materialism, or physicalism, is the belief that everything about human beings can be understood in the same way as physical processes in nature. However, this view neglects the subjective and intentional aspects of the mind. The interview discusses different theories that have attempted to explain the mind in purely physical terms, …

Why Free Will Denial is Self-Refuting

_{If free will deniers are right, their denial of free will is just a biological ink stain.}_{Michael Egnor
November 9, 2023}

Things that are wholly determined by the laws of physics and chemistry aren’t truth claims. They’re just spilled ink.

How Could Human Consciousness “Evolve”?

_{Human consciousness entails a unique human ability to think abstractly .}_{Michael Egnor
October 24, 2023}

According to Darwinian “science,” things changed, survivors survived, and the human ability to think abstractly materialized out of thin air.

Israel, Free Will, and the Problem of Evil

_{If determinism is true, then we have no free will. We are nothing more than meat machines.}_{Michael Egnor
October 23, 2023}

The events of the past week in Israel have left the civilized world reeling. Hamas has killed more than 1,200 Jewish innocents in the most violent eruption of anti-Semitism since the Holocaust, and it seems likely a war will follow that will soon kill thousands more innocent people. As we ponder and pray over this mass slaughter, it is worthwhile to reflect for a moment on what these events tell us about the ideological and scientific dogmas of the 21st century — about atheism, determinism and Darwinism. Are these dogmas true, and do they provide a meaningful understanding of man and of moral action? If atheism is true and there is no God, there is no Moral Lawgiver. The concept of good and evil become merely individual human preferences — e.g., we condemn the killing of …

Body & Soul: Joshua Farris and The Creation of Self

_{Michael Egnor and Joshua R. Farris
October 19, 2023}

How does the body contribute to the soul? On today’s episode, host Michael Egnor and theologian Dr. Joshua Farris discuss the implications of a neo-Cartesian understanding of the human soul on divisive cultural issues such as transgenderism and abortion. Farris, author of the recent book The Creation of Self: A Case for the Soul, argues that the body supplies certain controls and powers to the soul, and that separating the body from the soul would do harm to the soul. He also addresses the question of when ensoulment occurs in human development and explores the idea of switching souls among identical twins and the challenges it poses to philosophies of mind-body dualism. He concludes by discussing the rise in popularity of metaphysical theories and their connection to cultural …

What Makes Humans Unique?

_{Michael Egnor
September 21, 2023}

What makes humans unique compared to the rest of the natural world? Can strict materialists answer that question? In today’s podcast episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor speaks with Dr. Joshua Farris on the idea that human beings are made in God’s image, the mystery of consciousness, and panpsychism. Additional Resources Michael Egnor at Discovery Institute Dr. Joshua Farris at Missional University Podcast TranscriptDownload …

The Person as “Immaterial Substance”

_{Michael Egnor
September 14, 2023}

Is there substantial evidence that we are more than our bodies? And does that point to the existence of God? Theological anthropologist Dr. Joshua Farris thinks so. In this podcast episode, Farris speaks with host and neurosurgeon Michael Egnor to talk about materialism, mind, and theism, as well as Farris’ new book: The Creation of Self. Additional Resources Michael Egnor at Discovery Institute Dr. Joshua Farris at Missional University The Creation of Self by Joshua Farris Podcast TranscriptDownload …

Discussing the Cartesian Error

_{Michael Egnor
August 3, 2023}

What impact did the ideas of the philosopher René Descartes have on our modern conception of the mind/body problem? In today’s episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor digs deeper into his conversation with Dr. Joshua Farris, discussing Thomistic dualism, materialistic explanations for consciousness, and the inevitability of metaphysics. Additional Resources Michael Egnor at Discovery Institute Dr. Joshua Farris at Missional University Podcast TranscriptDownload …

Neuroscience, the Mind, and Theism

_{Michael Egnor
July 6, 2023}

What can modern neuroscience teach us about the immaterial mind? Can we ever know anything for certain? In this episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor talks with anthropologist Dr. Joshua Farris. They discuss the brain, Descartes, and the theological implications of the various philosophies of mind. Additional Resources Michael Egnor at Discovery Institute Dr. Joshua Farris at Missional University Podcast TranscriptDownload …

Alzheimer’s, Medical Ethics, and Choosing Life

_{Michael Egnor
June 1, 2023}

From preemptive assisted suicide to selective abortions, the medical field suffers a host of ethical dilemmas. In today’s podcast episode, memory-loss expert Stephen Post joins neurosurgeon Michael Egnor to discuss Alzheimer’s, bioethics, and the intrinsic dignity of human beings. Additional Resources Michael Egnor at Discovery Institute Stephen G. Post at stephengpost.com Podcast TranscriptDownload …

Caring for the Deeply Forgetful

_{Michael Egnor
May 18, 2023}

How can we compassionately relate to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease? Is the mind more than the brain? Dr. Stephen Post, an expert in the field and author of Dignity for Deeply Forgetful People, speaks with neurosurgeon Michael Egnor on memory, consciousness, and whether the mind could have arisen from matter. Additional Resources Michael Egnor at Discovery Institute Stephen G. Post at stephengpost.com Dignity for Deeply Forgetful People at Amazon Podcast TranscriptDownload …

Kenneth Miller on Consciousness and Evolution

_{Despite Miller's claims, neither human reason nor free will evolved because neither are generated by material processes}_{Michael Egnor
March 8, 2023}

Kenneth Miller is a biologist at Brown University who has been very active in his written and vocal support for Darwin’s theory of evolution. He’s neither a materialist nor an atheist – he is a Catholic, and in being one of the rare Darwinists who doesn’t subscribe wholeheartedly to the materialist/atheist paradigm, he allows himself to be used as a token theist by the Darwinists. It helps his career, no doubt, but doesn’t advance the truth. Not an admirable place to be. Miller’s New Book and What it Misses In his 2018 book The Human Instinct: How We Evolved To Have Reason, Consciousness, and Free Will, Miller manages a feat uncommon even for Darwinists – even the title of the book is wrong. Neither the human capacity for reason nor for free will evolved, because …