Are we really designed for Spirituality? The Neurotheology teaches us something revealing (Part 2)

The Neurotheology in person:

We clearly know that the brain is the organ which must be given credit for what/how we think, feel, and ultimately what decisions we make. Therefore, we should also consider what this has to do with our religious beliefs, and how our brains have a neural substrate. Now the question should be, “How is the brain ‘wired’ to produce spirituality?” This question keeps researchers from the fields of neurology and theology quite busy, and has essentially forced neuroscience to generate a new discipline called Neurotheology.

Neurotheology, also known as "spiritual neuroscience" is an emerging field of study that seeks to understand the relationship between neuroscience and religion. Scholars in this field strive to explain the neurological field on spiritual experiences as "the perception that time stands still, fear that self-consciousness fades, the spiritual awe, the oneness with the universe, the near-death experiences, why the need to believe in God."

Today, there has been a considerable interest in Neurotheology worldwide. Neurotheology is multidisciplinary and includes the fields of theology, religious studies, religious experience, philosophy, cognitive science, neuroscience, psychology, and anthropology. Each of these fields can certainly contribute to Neurotheology. Conversely, Neurotheology may ultimately contribute to the change in each of these fields. Therefore, Neurotheology should be considered a multidisciplinary study that requires substantial integration of divergent field that include neuroscience and religious phenomena.

Clearly one of the initial problems with the Neurotheology as a field is the exploitation of the term "Neurotheology." Too often, the term "Neurotheology" is used incorrectly or inappropriately, and many times it seems to be referred to as the study that does not incorporate neuroscience or theology. Strictly speaking, Neurotheology is related to the field that scholars link the two major categories of neuroscience and religious studies. Therefore, Neuroscience would be the empirical field that studies of the central nervous system or 'brain”, and theology is referred to the critical and rational analysis of a system of religious belonging to God’s beliefs. You may also constitute a study of "natural theology brain." Of course, both the terms "neuroscience" and "theology" have evolved over time.



Neuroscience is used to imply the study of nerve cells and their functions, without a clear relationship of behavioral and cognitive correlates. The Neuroscience today extends over many different fields, including cognitive neuroscience, neurology, neurobiology spirituality, psychiatry and psychology and sociology.

The tools used have also become much more advanced. One example would include the variety of brain imaging capabilities to explore the relationship between the brain and the various cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes (ie, "the pictures of God"). Theology has also changed over time. In a strict sense, theology is the study of God. Therefore, the word "theology" should be reserved for only theistic religions, and even more specifically, those arising of the Abrahamic traditions.

Both Islamic and Judeo-Christian theologians are divided amongst themselves on whether or not to integrate philosophy into their theology or their theologies based solely on their writings.

For Neurotheology to be considerd as a viable field, it most likely would not be limited to neuroscience and theology. In reconsidering the term "Neurotheology" it would then seem appropriate to allow for the expansion of the uses of the components "neuro" and "theology".

Neurotheology seems appropriate to refer to the entirety of religion and religious experiences, as well as theology. This ability to see over a vast area, from a neuroscientific perspective, has provided a wide range of neurological issues and topics that will ultimately be linked in a single game.



On the other hand, if the object of study covers both aspects of religion and spirituality, the field could become so broad that it would lose its ability to say something unique about religious and the spiritual phenomena.

How the brain works with religious themes:
Our brain consists of two hemispheres, and the right hemisphere especially has the ability to perceive the holistic concepts as we perceive one thing in its entirety rather than specific details. For example, we could first comprehend all cells and organs to elucidate the understaning of the entire human body. From a religious or spiritual perspective, we could understand a concept of absolute unity as belonging to God.

Additionally, the whole process in the brain allows for expansion of any religious belief or doctrine. This applies to the all of reality, including other people, cultures, animals, planets, and galaxies. In fact, as human knowledge has expanded, the notion of God has incorporated this sense of the expansion of the entire universe. The holistic function pushes us to contemplate that any new scope of the astronomers about the universe may find that God could be there. No matter how small and unpredictable subatomic particles could be, that should mean that God should be there too.

In the most general sense, quantitative processes are helpful to the brain in producing a variety of mathematical and quantitative comparisons of similar objects in the world. The quantitative function clearly underlies and represents much of scientific method. The science essentially is based on a mathematical description of the universe. In terms of philosophical and theological implications, quantitative functions seem to have greatly influenced the ideas of philosophers such as Pythagoras, who often use mathematical concepts such as geometry to help to explain the nature of God and the universe.

A potentially interesting application of quantitative evaluation function is the strong emphasis on certain issues, especially used in religious traditions. For example, the specific numbers abound in the Bible as the 40th (40 Days and 40 Nights of flooding, the Jews wandered in the desert for 40 years, etc.) give importance in terms such as time, people and places.



Islam also uses special numbers in both the Koran and the teachings derived from it. According to Shiism, they are the Auxiliary Ten of the Faith (Sunni believe in the five pillars of Islam and the six items of belief), and the 99 attributes of Allah. One might wonder if these numbers provide extra meaning within our brain. Is it easier for us to believe that these concepts when presented with a specific number, know that our brain has a great interest in numbers and generally likes to use. This quantitative process could strengthen our faith in everything to do with numbers. And again, there are special numbers such as 5, 10, 40, or 99, which It could achieve a particular effect on the brain, a function of the left hemisphere.

Duality and Neurotheology:
Another concept to consider is the binary processes in the brain. These processes allow us to establish two opposing concepts. This capability is essential for theology of the opposites that can be configurable, also include those of good and evil, justice and injustice, and man and God, among many others. Many of these polarities or dichotomies are along religious texts of all religions. Much of the effects of religion are to solve the psychological and existential problems created by these opposites. Theology, should then be evaluating the structures of myths and determining where opposites are, and how well it can resolve the problems presented by these opposites addressed by the doctrines of one religion, particularly, Islam. The instructional styles of Koran are often examples of juxtaposition of good and evil.



The brain's ability to perceive causality is also crucial for theology. When all the causal processes of the brain are applied to all of reality, it forces us to question, “What is the ultimate cause of all things?” This eventually leads to the classical notion of St. Thomas Aquinas, "The first uncaused cause" as an argument for the existence of God. For monotheistic religions, the fundamental doctrines posit that God is the uncaused cause of all things. However, this same question of how something can be without cause is often the most perplexing problem for human thought. In fact, theologians, philosophers, and scientists have become entangled with causality as an integral part of understanding the universe and God. The philosopher Aristotle postulated four aspects of causality, that is, the efficient cause, material causation, formal causality and final causality. The question of causality thus became applied to God to determine how, indeed, God could make the universe.

Two other important functions of the brain are related to the ability to withstand malicious or intentional behavior, and the ability to guide our being in the world. Neuroscientifically, intentional functions are considered to arise largely from the frontal lobes. There is evidence that the activity of the frontal lobe is involved in executive functions such as the planning, coordination of movements, behavior, initiation, and language production.

Evidence has also shown that the frontal lobes are activated when an individual makes a practice of meditation or prayer, in which there is a strong concentration in particular.



The Neurotheology and some problems:
There are numerous issues regarding neuroscience and its direct influence with neurotheological research. One of the main problems that Neurotheology faces is the problem of its ability to determine the subjective state This is also a more universal theme in the context of cognitive neuroscience. After all, one can never know precisely what a research topic is thinking right now of the image.
If you have an issue to resolve, as a mathematical task, you do not know if the person's mind wandered during the task. You may be able to determine whether rightly or wrongly made ​​the test, but that itself cannot determine why they were right or wrong. The question of the subjective state of the individual is particularly a Neurotheological problem. When considering the spiritual states, the ability to measure these states empirically while not disturb these states is almost impossible. Therefore, it is important to find out as much as possible such as what the persons thinks and experiences. Research in Neurotheology can best help refine subjective measurements. The spiritual and religious states are perhaps the best description of all states. Consequently, these two fields can be an important point of departure for the advancement of research on measuring states subjective.

The Neurotheology and health:
Another area in which the Neurotheology could provide important scientific information is in sustaining researching to assimilate the relationship between spirituality and health. A growing number of studies have shown positive effects on the various components of mental health and physics. Such effects include an improvements in depression, anxiety, the immune system, and reducing overall mortality associated with people who are more religious. On the other hand, research has also suggested that individuals engaged in religious strife, and one’s that have a negative view of God or religion may experience increased stress, anxiety, and health problems. Research on brain responses to positive and negative influences of religion and could be of great value in advancing the relationship between spirituality and health.



Finally, one of the most important goals of cognitive neuroscience is to better understand how humans think and interact with our environment. This particularly relates to our perception and response to the external reality that the brain continually presents to our deep consciousness.

Neurotheology is in the unique position of being able to explore epistemological issues that arise in neuroscience and theology. Therefore, the integration of both perspectives could provide the basis on which scholars from various disciplines can address some of the biggest questions facing humanity.

The genetic aspect:
Conducted by Dr. Dean Hamer, who is a behavioral geneticist, research suggested that religious beliefs have a neural substrate. He says that these beliefs are identified in our genes, but does not say which one. If this were the case, it would mean that people would not only be 'wired' to believe in God, but that they would be genetically programmed for that.

Hamer's work did not go on to prove whether God exists not because it is the domain of religion, but to show that spirituality is a real phenomenon that can be described and measured. Spirituality, according to Hamer, is derived from the genes, religion of ideas, or patterns that are passed from one generation to another, but not genetically, often by imitation. Religion, he says, has its roots in parenting, and spirituality in nature.



Endnotes:

As an emerging field of study, Neurotheology has the potential to offer a substanial amount of information to elucidate our understanding of the human mind, consciousness, scientific discovery, spiritual experience, and theological discourse. Remember that the Neurotheological scholarships must tread carefully on these issues and try to develop new research methods. All of the results should be viewed by the students on Neurotheological scholarships, interpreted with caution, and in the context of the existing doctrine, beliefs, and theology. However, if Neurotheology is ultimately successful in its objectives of employing an integrative approach, then it will undoubtedly have the potential to revolutionize our assimilation of the universe and our place in it. A comprehnesive outlook of the human mind, its biology and ‘neurocircuits’, has the potential to solve problems for the man. You can even create a bridge between empirical science of neurology with the sanctity and sensitivity of theology.

NMJ-JFA

Part 2 of 2

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