Psychological dualism (or dualism herein) purports that there is a complementary, non-material/physical, mind-active component associated with a living organism. Thus mind would not simply be an expression of brain function as confidently believed by neuroscience (and science in general). As earlier work has suggested that confidence can be brushed aside by considering some accepted unusual behaviors. One simple dualism-consistent example is terminal lucidity in which people return to psychological coherence shortly before death despite having been lost to “dull, unconscious, or mentally ill” conditions, in some cases for years. Arguably framing these challenges to materialism, though, is genetics’ unfolding “missing heritability” crisis in which many expected DNA origins have not been found despite extensive searches. An associated soul-consistent explanation is that instead of DNA origins these innate characteristics reflect continuity associated with the earlier lives of incarnating souls (and of course with this some other particular explanations). Herein arguments for the existence of souls are considered for the very surprising case of multiple soul residency in a single organism. Discussions on this possibility focus on the stunning experiences of some heart transplant patients, and also the very difficult condition of Multiple Personality (or Dissociative Identity) Disorder. These two phenomena pose very difficult challenges for materialism (and brain function), and on the other hand are suggestive of the influences of additional souls. Finally, some of the implications of these extraordinary possibilities are briefly considered.
References
[1]
Alexander, E. (2012). Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks.
[2]
Barnes, J. (2008). Nothing to be Frighten of. Alfred A. Knopf.
[3]
Barrett, J. L. (2012). Born Believers—The Science of Children’s Religious Belief. Free Press.
[4]
Carter, C. (2012). Science and the Afterlife Experience. Inner Traditions.
[5]
Christopher, T. (2017a). Science’s Big Problem, Reincarnation’s Big Potential, and Buddhists’ Profound Embarrassment. Religions, 8, Article 155. http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/8/8/155 https://doi.org/10.3390/rel8080155
[6]
Christopher, T. (2017b). A Hole in Science: An Opening for an Alternative Understanding of Life (3rd ed.). Self-published.
[7]
Christopher, T. (2020). Religion versus Science II: Why Science Is Wrong about Life and Evolution, and Where Religious Beliefs Can Find Objective Traction. Religions, 11, Article 495. http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/10/495 https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11100495
[8]
Christopher, T. (2022a). Questionable All Along, DNA’s Inheritance Role Is Now Failing in a Big Way—Does Anyone Care? Open Journal of Philosophy, 12, 29-53. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=115120 https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpp.2022.121003
[9]
Christopher, T. (2022b). Reincarnation as a Complement to the Flawed DNA-Based Model of Life: Potential Contributions to Our Disposition towards Family and Religion/Spirituality. Open Journal of Philosophy, 12, 397-423. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=119098 https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpp.2022.123026
[10]
Christopher, T. (2022c). Dualism 101: Terminal Lucidity and an Explanation. Open Journal of Philosophy, 12, 687-700. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=121479 https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpp.2022.124047
[11]
Fischman, J., Lester, R. J., & Delviscio, J. (2023). Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder through the Community of Ella. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/understanding-dissociative-identity-disorder-through-the-community-of-ella1/
[12]
Fremantle, F., & Trungpa, C. (1992). The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Pocket Version). Shambhala Publications.
[13]
Gober, M. (2018). An End to Upside Down Thinking. Waterside Press.
[14]
Goodenough, U. (1998). The Sacred Depths of Nature. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195126136.001.0001
[15]
Kelly, E. F., Kelly, E. W., Crabtree, A., Gauld, A., Grosso, M., & Greyson, B. (2007). Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
[16]
Leister, M. B. (2020). Personality Changes Following Heart Transplantation: The Role of Cellular Memory. Medical Hypothesis, 135, Article 109468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109468
[17]
Lester, R. J. (2023). A New Therapy for Multiple Personality Disorder Helps a Woman with 12 Selves. Scientific American.
[18]
Lunde, D. T. (1967). Psychiatric Complications of Heart Transplants. American Journal of Psychiatry, 124, 1190-1195.
[19]
MacFarquhar, L. (2013). Last Call. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/06/24/last-call-3
[20]
Mayer, E. L. (2007). Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, and the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind. Bantom Books.
[21]
McGaugh, J. L., & LePort, A. (2014). Remembrance of All Things Past. Scientific American.
Nahm, M. (2009). Terminal Lucidity in People with Mental Illness and Other Mental Disability: An Overview and Implications for Possible Explanatory Models. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 28, 87-106.
[24]
Nahm, M., Greyson, B., Kelley, E. M., & Erlendur, H. (2012). Terminal Lucidity: A Review and a Case Collection. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 55, 138-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2011.06.031
[25]
Pearsall, P. (1998). The Heart’s Code. Broadway Books.
[26]
Pearsall, P., Schwartz, G. E., & Russek, L. G. (2005). Organ Transplants and Cellular Memories. Nexus Magazine.
[27]
Radin, D. (2006). Entangled Minds. Paraview Pocket Books.
[28]
Ramachandran, V. S., & Blakeslee, S. (1998). Phantoms in the Brain. HarperCollins.
[29]
Sheldrake, R. (2012). Science Set Free: 10 Paths to New Discovery. Deepak Chopra Books.
[30]
Sogyal, R. (2002). The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. HarperSanFrancisco.
[31]
Stanley, M. (2022). “Brain Death” Marks the True End of a Person’s Life. Wall Street Journal.
[32]
Stevenson, I. (1997). Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect. Praeger Publishers.
[33]
Tart, C. T. (2009). The End of Materialism. New Harbinger Publications.
[34]
Treffert, D. A. (2010). Islands of Genius. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
[35]
Thondup, T. (2005). Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth. Shambhala Publications.
[36]
Tucker, J. (2005). Life before Life—A Scientific Investigation of Children’s Memories of Previous Lives. St. Martin’s Press.
[37]
Verny, T. R. (2021). Heart Transplants, Personality Transplants. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/explorations-the-mind/202110/heart-transplants-personality-transplants
[38]
Wallace, B. A. (2012). Meditations of a Buddhist Skeptic. Columbia University Press.
[39]
Yuste, R., & Church, G. M. (2014). The New Century of the Brain. Scientific American. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0314-38
