Dualism
From RationalWiki
Dualism, or "the mind-body problem," is a field of philosophy that attempts to reconcile the apparent problem that the physical self and the mind (or soul) appear to be two separate things. The problem is one of consciousness, which does not feel physical. On the other hand, no one has ever seen a mind without a brain.
[edit] History
Dualism has its written origins with Plato and Aristotle; however, it is central to most religious thought. The concept of the "soul" as something immaterial and separate from the body is a sine qua non of Christian belief. In philosophy, Descartes is probably the father of "modern" dualism.
[edit] Dualism in science
The advent of modern biology and neuroscience has dealt a serious blow to dualism. It might seem enough that no one has seen a mind without a body, but not so. The positive findings of neuroscience, including brain centers dealing with specific memories, thoughts, and emotions has backed dualists into a corner. Despite the fact that some "mind" processes can be specifically located in the brain, the mind is better thought of as an "emergent phenomenon". The enormous complexity of the brain creates a "mind" which simply appears to be some separate, immaterial thing. "Soul" is a spiritual concept, and scientists will not consider it unless they can find a way to quantify it.
