Determinism, Freedom and Sin: Reformed Theological Resources for a Conversation with Neuroscience and Philosophy

This paper engages with one debate in the emerging field of neuroethics. It is sometimes claimed on the strength of neuroscientific research that our actions are causally determined and therefore not truly free, or more modestly that brain structures or processes constrain some choices and actions,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in Christian ethics
Main Author: Messer, Neil (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2015
In: Studies in Christian ethics
RelBib Classification:CF Christianity and Science
KDD Protestant Church
NBE Anthropology
NCA Ethics
VA Philosophy
Further subjects:B Reformed ethics
B Determinism
B Providence
B Causation
B Freewill
B Barth
B Sin
B neuroscience and theology
B Neuroethics
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Electronic
Description
Summary:This paper engages with one debate in the emerging field of neuroethics. It is sometimes claimed on the strength of neuroscientific research that our actions are causally determined and therefore not truly free, or more modestly that brain structures or processes constrain some choices and actions, raising questions about our moral responsibility for them. I argue that a Reformed account of providence, sin and grace offers an account of causation able to resist hard determinism, reframes concepts of freedom and responsibility, and provides a theological perspective for evaluating medical interventions in brain activity. Thus the paper not only contributes to a neuroethical debate, but also illustrates the capacity of Reformed ethics to respond creatively to novel problems.
ISSN:0953-9468
Contains:Enthalten in: Studies in Christian ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0953946815570591