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Why Cartesian Dualism?

Series
Discovery Institute
Host
Michael Egnor
Guest
Michael Egnor
Download
Audio File (40.66M)

Materialism is dead. There are simply too many questions left unanswered after years of studying the brain. Now, people are scrambling for a new way to understand the mind-body relationship. Cartesian dualism has become a whipping boy in philosophy, but it has advantages over the alternatives. Dr. Joshua Farris discusses Cartesianism and philosophy with Dr. Michael Egnor.

Show Notes

  • 01:27 | Introducing Joshua Farris
  • 02:36 | What is Cartesian Dualism?
  • 07:32 | Is Cartesianism is bad metaphysics?
  • 13:02 | The Cartesian View and Transgenderism
  • 19:31 | What is emergence?
  • 25:30 | The Cartesian view and God as the God’s Mind.

Additional Resources

Michael Egnor

Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, State University of New York, Stony Brook
Michael R. Egnor, MD, is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics at State University of New York, Stony Brook, has served as the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, and is an award-winning brain surgeon. He was named one of New York’s best doctors by the New York Magazine in 2005. His forthcoming book, The Immortal Mind: A neurosurgeon’s case for the existence of the soul, co-authored by Denyse O’Leary, will be published by Worthy on June 3, 2025.