The Emergent Self

by William Hasker

In The Emergent Self, William Hasker joins one of the most heated debates in analytic philosophy, that over the nature of mind. His provocative and clearly written book challenges physicalist views of human mental functioning and advances the concept of mind as an emergent individual.

Hasker begins by mounting a compelling critique of the dominant paradigm in philosophy of mind, showing that contemporary forms of materialism are seriously deficient in confronting crucial aspects of experience. He further holds that popular attempts to explain the workings of mind in terms of mechanistic physics cannot succeed. He then criticizes the two versions of substance dualism most widely accepted today―Cartesian and Thomistic―and presents his own theory of emergent dualism. Unlike traditional substance dualisms, Hasker's theory recognizes the critical role of the brain and nervous system for mental processes. It also avoids the mechanistic reductionism characteristic of recent materialism.

Hasker concludes by addressing the topic of survival following bodily death. After demonstrating the failure of materialist views to offer a plausible and coherent account of that possibility, he considers the implications of emergentism for notions of resurrection and the afterlife.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Ethan Zimmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hasker presents a theory of mind (and nature broadly) which I find fairly compelling, though only tentatively. His emergentist views allows for physicalism of the mind without being reductionist and allows for talk of soul without being a Cartesian/creationist.

In trying to strike the middle between material reductionists and radical dualists, his views can be criticized from many sides, but that's par for the course in metaphysics.

I would recommend this book for an accessible read in philosophy of mind. Perhaps Hasker's most compelling arguments are the ones posed against materialistic views of mind. Much of the book is a survey and critique of other views. I wish he would have given another chapter or two to his own.

[Liam Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exactly defence of Emergent Monism from a Christian defence, and integrating neurobiology ideas. Yet, two subjects are to follow: a) Hasker seems to have no answer to how their can be only one resurrection body for simple one person, b) on that note, Hasker is unclear about how the afterlife works or how existence beyond the grave continues. Also, their is no interaction with the eschatological texts.