What can neuroscience offer religious faith?

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

What does neuroscience have to do with faith? Can it aid our self-understanding as religious people? Or will the new Scientific Revolution destroy the illusion of religion? Philosopher, neuroscientist, and skeptic Sam Harris certainly thinks so. In his book Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion, Harris writes: The feeling that we call “I” is an illusion. There is no discrete self or ego living like a Minotaur in the labyrinth of the brain. And the feeling that there is —... Read more

Does neuroscience disprove the soul? Tom Wolfe has some thoughts

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

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I decided to read a Tom Wolfe novel recently. First of all, as a tribute to his life. Secondly, because I discovered he was fascinated by neuroscience (as all the best people are). I was curious to find out if he addressed the philosophical implications of brain research, so I picked up I Am Charlotte Simmons. I Am Charlotte Simmons: the plot The novel’s protagonist is a wholesome 18-year-old girl from Sparta, a tiny rural community in the mountains of North... Read more

What clerical abuse does to the developing brain

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

I’m not prepared to share my words about the atrocities spelled out in the Pennsylvania report. For now, my aim is to enter into the suffering of the victims. In the words of Pope Francis, “may fasting and prayer open our ears to the hushed pain felt by children, young people and the disabled.” In this process of listening, I cannot help but draw from my studies of trauma. As a scientist, I know the neurobiological and psychological consequences of... Read more

How your mindset can shut out grace

Last updated on: March 14, 2021 at 1:23 am By Synapses of the Soul

Growing up, I was never the athletic one of the family. While my siblings excelled in all things sports, I was always the last one picked for the team in gym and the slowest one to finish the race, if I finished at all. I convinced myself that I was just “not built” for sports, and gave up before even trying. I think I’ve come pretty far now. I can keep up with my family on long bike rides, deadlift... Read more

Embracing silence

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

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Our modern world is dominated by noise, external and internal noise that damages our brain function and our spiritual life. The dictatorship of noise The postmodern person, according to Robert Cardinal Sarah, lives under a dictatorship of noise. In a long interview with French journalist Nicolas Diat, entitled The Power of Silence, Sarah takes on the worldly powers that strip us of silence. “Noise surrounds us and assaults us. The noise of ceaselessly active cities, the noise of automobiles, airplanes, machines outside... Read more

On evolution and the Catholic faith

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

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When I agreed to write for Patheos, I didn’t think I would have to dive into the evolution debate. But, a couple weeks in, I’ve come to admit I was wrong. The compatibility of evolution and the Catholic faith is more contested than I had ever imagined. In this post, I will provide an overview of a few reasons that the theory of evolution does not contradict the Catholic faith. In it, I link to works by a range of... Read more

Why you should hug at the Sign of Peace

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

This summer, I’ve been going to daily Mass at a parish down the street from my internship, where the youngest folks in attendance are baby boomers. Once the little old ladies got over their shock (“a young person! at daily Mass!!”) they began welcoming me with open arms – literally. During the Sign of Peace, a few walk over to my pew and embrace me with sincere affection. I’m not weirded out by this, because at Notre Dame it’s standard... Read more

On materialism, suffering, and the opioid crisis

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

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A few weeks ago, one of my loved ones underwent surgery, and was prescribed an opioid painkiller. Although he chose not to take it, this got me thinking about how our society strives to eliminate all pain, and the tragic public health crisis this has created. The financial origins of the opioid crisis The development of opioids (not surprisingly) was motivated by financial profit. In 1996, a pharmaceutical company named Purdue Pharma – owned by the three Sackler brothers – introduced OxyContin. This is a time-released formulation of oxycodone,... Read more