Title

The haunting of the human spirit

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Zygon

Publication Date

1-1-1999

Abstract

Understanding the human spirit, the thinking, motivating, feeling aspect of a person, need not entail supernatural reference in any more than a boundary sense. Methodological naturalism accounts for many putatively supernatural experiences in terms of naturalistic and scientific research. Fairy tales have natural functions, naturalistic accounts of miracles can have moral and spiritual power, and neuropsychological research can have value in understanding experiences of ghosts, apparitions, and presences. Even beliefs in personal immortality, at odds with current neurobiology, may serve a range of psychological functions and may raise more moral questions than they answer. Naturalistic accounts can make spiritual explorations possible where supernatural answers provide epistemic barriers. © 1999 by John A. Teske.

Volume

34

Issue

2

First Page

307

Last Page

322

DOI

10.1111/0591-2385.00214

ISSN

05912385

E-ISSN

14679744

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS