The nature of the mind and self are complicated issues. They have eluded definition for centuries and are still perplexing to scientists and philosophers today. As of yet, there are no clear-cut scientifically based solutions. Each of the popular philosophical attempts to explain the mind-body relationship is an extreme.
We already know that extremes of any kind lead to problems. The classic debate has included groups believing sense of self is entirely organic and physical based on reaction to stimuli and memory storage, while others believe the self or soul is a spiritual entity residing inside our physical bodies that vacates at death. I believe the mind and body are intertwined and dependent on each other. This is a viewpoint that aligns itself with medical and scientific evidence and promotes mental health in support of physical health and well-being in human beings.
We know that the physical condition of our bodies can have a great impact on our state of mind and likewise the state of mind affects the physical state of the body. A perfect example is that illness causes depression, yet we also know that depression can cause physical illness. It has become abundantly clear and is supported by scientific research, that physical and mental states are equally real, yet dependent on each other.
The mind is an intellectual unit inside the organic matter of the brain that acts as a central processing unit for data and sensory input and directs the physical activity of the body, somewhat similar to the operating-system software of a personal computer. The brain contains a capacity for storage of memory, emotions and experiences, similar to data storage in the hard drive of a computer.
Self is a personal identity composed of memory and emotions, along with our personal philosophies of life which are formed through life experiences, housed inside the central processing unit or mind. Consciousness is awareness of self and personal identity. Thought is the action of processing data and sensory input. Some elements of emotional memory storage and inclinations for ethical behavior may reside in other vital organs such as the heart and kidneys. (Psalms 07:09) (Jeremiah 11:20) These scriptural verses support a conclusion that the mind and body are not separate, but dependent.
The body is an organism that acts as a life support system for the organic needs of a person and physically supports the processes of the mind. Feeling can be a physical result of electrical impulse sent to nerves in the organic portion of the body or it can be chemical and hormonal responses by the organic portion of the body to stimuli. Soul is a combination of the consciousness and personal identity inside the live organic support system. Person is synonymous with soul. A person is a soul. The mind and body are parts of a whole and dependent on each other. The Bible tells us that, “… the man came to be a living soul.” (Genesis 02:07) Not that the man was given a soul, as if it were something separate or extra.
Self is a holistic concept, in which physical cannot be separated from the mental. Likewise the spiritual cannot be freed from organic. Just because a person has some type of memory breakdown or complete amnesia it does not change the ethical stance of the person inside. Other people remember that person, even if the person does not remember themselves. A person does not fundamentally change because of memory loss. We are a product of our individual memories, but at the same time some of our basic individual personality traits are hard wired into the DNA and remain constant even in the event of memory destruction.
Works Cited:
Holy Scriptures. Vols. Galatians, Genesis, Jeremiah, Psalms, Romans. n.d.