Mühling Resonances: Neurobiology, Evolution and Theology

Evolutionary Niche Construction, the Ecological Brain and Relational-Narrative Theology
1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-3-647-57036-5
Verlag: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, Band 29, 254 Seiten

Reihe: Religion, Theologie und Naturwissenschaft / Religion, Theology, and Natural Science

This volume contains the results of research into the dialogue between theology and biology, particularly neuroscience and evolutionary theory. With regard to neuroscience, the representational paradigm is abandoned in favor of the ecological brain theory, which understands the brain as an organ of resonance between the living body and its surrounding environment. In relation to theological epistemology, this account not only leads to fruitful convergences, but also shows that revelation, as perception of God’s triune presence in creation, has to be understood as a resonating and non extra-ordinary or general kind of perception, instead of being a special interpretation of experiences that are beyond the ordinary. With regard to the theory of evolution, the Neodarwinian paradigm is expanded with the help of the theory of niche-construction, in which the relationship between organisms and their environment is understood to be reciprocally resonating. This new and emerging paradigm in biology fits to a relational-narrative theological ontology, in which the relationship between the life of the triune God and creation can be modeled on basis of the key metaphor of niche construction understood as a reciprocally resonating dramatic coherence.Theologically, Markus Mühling presents a theory of revelation as perception and a relational-narrative ontology based on the concept of dramatic coherence, in which the triune life is understood not as an exception to ontology, but as the decisive condition of its possibility.For neuroscience and evolutionary theory it provides the insight that taking the concepts of internally related external relata and a phenomenological approach into account leads to new horizons for solving those problems seen in certain older paradigms as posing irreconcilable contradictions.Mühling also argues that a dialogue between theology and the natural sciences – in order to be fruitful – must be maintained in relative dependence and independence, that any such dialogue must take philosophical considerations into account, and that it is decisive for each of the dialogue partners to speak on behalf of their proper and particular areas of research.The proposed results also reflect the author’s participation in the dialogue between leading theologians and scientists at the Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton (NJ) on Evolution and Human Nature in 2013.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Mühling, Markus

Fachgebiete

• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften Interdisziplinär Religion & Wissenschaft
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften Interdisziplinär Neurowissenschaften, Kognitionswissenschaft
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften Neurobiologie, Verhaltensbiologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religion & Wissenschaft
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften Evolutionsbiologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Cover;1
2;Title Page;4
3;Copyright;5
4;Table of Contents;8
5;Body;12
6;Preface;12
7;1. The Dialogue between Theology and the Natural Sciences;14
7.1;1.1 Certainties in the Natural Sciences and Theology;14
7.2;1.2 Natural Sciences and Theology;18
7.3;1.3 Two Regulative Principles: Etsi deus non daretur—etsi mundus non daretur;20
7.4;1.4 The Core and the Periphery;22
7.5;1.5 Entheorizing and Extheorizing;25
7.6;1.6 Interdisciplinary Dialogue as Inter-Faith Dialogue;26
7.7;1.7 Public Concern;27
7.8;1.8 Metaphors, Models and Myths;30
7.8.1;1.8.1 Metaphors;30
7.8.2;1.8.2 Models;33
7.8.3;1.8.3 Myths;34
7.8.4;1.8.4 Theological Models;35
8;2. Experience and Perception—Epistemology in the Neurosciences ;37
8.1;2.1 Neuroconstructivist-Representational Dualism in the Neurosciences;37
8.1.1;2.1.1 Representationalism;37
8.1.2;2.1.2 Modularity and Modularism;39
8.1.3;2.1.3 Neuroconstructivism;41
8.1.4;2.1.4 Mythical, Idealistic Dualism;43
8.1.5;2.1.5 Phenomenal Naivety;45
8.1.6;2.1.6 Causal Atomism and the Externality of Relations;47
8.1.7;2.1.7 Individualist Intellectualism, Theory of Mind and the Social Brain Hypothesis;49
8.1.8;2.1.8 Reductionist Naturalism;52
8.2;2.2 Problems of Neuroconstructivist-Representational Dualism ;53
8.2.1;2.2.1 Abandoning Representationalism;53
8.2.1.1;2.2.1.1 Ecological Subjectivity;53
8.2.1.2;2.2.1.2 Externalism of Meaning;55
8.2.1.3;2.2.1.3 Active Externalism;56
8.2.1.4;2.2.1.4 Conceptual Experience;56
8.2.2;2.2.2 Abandoning Modularism;60
8.2.3;2.2.3 Abandoning Neuroconstructivism;62
8.2.4;2.2.4 Abandoning Idealistic Dualism ;62
8.2.5;2.2.5 Abandoning Phenomal Naivety—Introducing Phenomenology;64
8.2.6;2.2.6 Abandoning Causal Atomism and the Externality of Relations;64
8.2.7;2.2.7 Abandoning Individualist Intellectualism, Theory of Mind and the Social Brain Hypothesis;66
8.2.8;2.2.8 Abandoning Dogmatic Reductionist Naturalism;71
8.3;2.3 The Ecological Brain;72
8.3.1;2.3.1 The Leib as Subject;72
8.3.2;2.3.2 Ecological Subjectivity;74
8.3.3;2.3.3 Efficient Causality, Formative Causality and their Unity in Circular Causality;76
8.3.4;2.3.4 Dynamic Capabilities, Open Loops and Formative History;78
8.3.5;2.3.5 The Brain in the Framework of Vertical Circular Functional Circuits;79
8.3.6;2.3.6 The Brain in the Framework of Horizontal Circular Functional Circuits and the Ecological Understanding of Perception and Consciousness;80
8.3.7;2.3.7 The Basic Self and the Personal Self;83
8.3.8;2.3.8 Implicit Theology in Fuchs’ Theory;84
9;3. Experiencing Divine Self-Presentation—Epistemology in Theology ;87
9.1;3.1 Sola experientia?;87
9.2;3.2 A Basic Question of Theological Epistemology;92
9.2.1;3.2.1 Revelation and Reason?;92
9.2.2;3.2.2 Cognitive Sciences of Religion and Neurotheology;93
9.2.3;3.2.3 The Possibility of Faith;98
9.3;3.3 Revelation and Experience—The Initial Model;98
9.4;3.4 Problems with the Initial Model in Light of the Neurosciences ;106
9.5;3.5 Perceiving Intendedness?;110
9.6;3.6 Describing Faith;113
9.6.1;3.6.1 Faith and Semantic Externalism;113
9.6.2;3.6.2 Faith and Active Externalism;114
9.6.3;3.6.3 Faith and Ecological Subjectivity;115
9.6.4;3.6.4 Faith as Conceptual Experience;116
9.6.5;3.6.5 Faith and the Basic Self;118
9.6.6;3.6.6 Faith and the Personal Self;120
9.7;3.7 Re-formulating the Initial Model of Revelation and Experience.;122
9.7.1;3.7.1 The Structure of Narrative Identity;122
9.7.2;3.7.2 Religious Experiences, Disclosure Experiences and Revelation;129
9.8;3.8. Three Resonating Stories and Two Sets of Actors;131
9.9;3.9 The Self-Presentation of the Triune God ;132
10;4. Evolution as Niche Construction;138
10.1;4.1 Introduction;138
10.2;4.2 Some Features of Neo-Darwinism;139
10.3;4.3 Character Traits of Neo-Darwinism;141
10.4;4.4 Problems of Neo-Darwinism;143
10.5;4.5 Niche Construction as an Extended Evolutionary Theory;145
10.5.1;4.5.1 The Basic Idea of Niche Construction;145
10.5.2;4.5.2 Definitions, Categories and Principles of Niche Construction;146
10.5.3;4.5.3 Models of Population Growth;150
10.5.4;4.5.4 The Development of Homo and Paranthropus;152
10.5.5;4.5.5 Neo-Darwinism as an Abstract Form of an Extended Theory;153
10.6;4.6 Character Traits of Niche Construction;154
10.6.1;4.6.1 Abandoning Hidden Representationalism;155
10.6.2;4.6.2 Abandoning Hidden Dualism;155
10.6.3;4.6.3 Abandoning Localized Information;155
10.6.4;4.6.4 Internal Relationality;156
10.6.5;4.6.5 Adding Formal Causality;156
10.6.6;4.6.6 Genes as Providers of Open Loops;157
10.6.7;4.6.7 Resonances Instead of Adaptions;158
10.6.8;4.6.8 Semantics in Evolution?;159
10.6.9;4.6.9 What about Phenomenology?;160
10.6.10;4.6.10 Is there any teleology in evolution and why are people talking about it all the time?;161
10.7;4.7 Implicit Theology in Niche Construction?;163
11;5. The Triune Life, Niche Construction and Niche Reception;166
11.1;5.1 A Proposal for a Doctrine of God;167
11.1.1;5.1.1 A Storied God;167
11.1.2;5.1.2 ‘Love Story God’;171
11.1.3;5.1.3 The Attributes of the Relational Essence of God;176
11.2;5.2 A Proposal for a Doctrine of God’s Relation to the World;178
11.2.1;5.2.1 Creation and Perfection;178
11.2.2;5.2.2 Humans among other Created Animals;181
11.2.3;5.2.3 Incarnation and the First Part of Reconciliation;190
11.2.4;5.2.4 Concarnation and the Second Part of Reconciliation ;194
11.2.5;5.2.5 Attributes of God’s Relation to the World;196
11.3;5.3 Theological Expectations of Biology;198
11.4;5.4 Faith as Niche Constructor—The Ecclesiological Meaning of Niche Construction ;206
11.5;5.5 Creation and Perfection as Niche Construction and Niche Reception;210
11.5.1;5.5.1 Illingworth, Teilhard de Chardin and Theißen as Providers of Evolutionary Theological Models;210
11.5.2;5.5.2 Contemporary and Ultimate Reality as Niche Construction;216
12;6. Concluding Theses;223
12.1;6.1 Epistemology in the Neurosciences and Theology;223
12.2;6.2 Phenomenological Neurobiology and Niche Construction;224
12.3;6.3 On Causality;224
12.4;6.4 Narrative Relational Theology, Niche Construction and Niche Reception;225
12.5;6.5 The Benefits of the Inter- and Transdisciplinary Trialogue;226
13;Abbreviations;228
14;Literature;229
15;Index of Authors;241
16;Index of Subjects ;245