The human soul is still an enigma, especially its genesis, nature and evolution. Most religions, particularly Christianity, still follow essentially the Platonic view, or a variant of it. Following Platonic dualism, the traditional Christian view holds that the soul and body belong to two separate categories. The soul is so special that only God can be its creative cause. At conception, God directly infuses the soul into the zygote. Although at first sight, Plato’s view seems logical and easy to understand, it was based on his limited observations and insights. Today, thanks to developments in science, particularly in the neurological sciences, new data and insights have emerged, challenging the old view and proposing new ones. The 15 chapters of this book attempt to apprise contemporary readers of some of the latest developments in the neurological sciences, and the challenges and opportunities they offer to develop a richer and more satisfactory understanding of the human soul. One of the unique features of this book is that the contributors to this volume come from diverse but related backgrounds, and share their views in light of the developments in each one’s area of expertise. The editors believe that this series of contemporary scientific reflections on the human soul is only a beginning, and many more such attempts will follow, to unravel further this age-old mystery.
Title: The Human Soul in a World of the Neurological Sciences
Editors: Job Kozhamthadam and Roy Pereira
Publisher: IISR (Indian Institute of Science and Religion), Delhi and ISPCK, Delhi
Pages: XX+270
Price Rs. 275, $ 12
