Tag Archives: substance dualism

Charles Darwin: Origin of Species (Review)

Posted on October 30, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

At best Darwin can explain the survival of the fittest, not the arrival of a new species. Survival, not arrival. If this book were written today, it wouldn’t have caused such an uproar. Some of that is we are familiar … Continue reading →

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Wolfhart Pannenberg on Body-Soul Unity

Posted on October 21, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Systematic Theology vol. 2. WP urges that we are psychosomatic unities, rather than two juxtaposed essences.  So he rejects substance dualism, which is a problem, but he also refuses to reduce the soul to the body, unlike tendencies of some at … Continue reading →

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Evolution of the Soul (Richard Swinburne)

Posted on October 20, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Swinburne, Richard.  Evolution of the Soul.  Oxford. terminology person: anyone who has the facets of consciousness which men possess, whether human or not (Swinburne 4). substance: a component of the world which interacts causally with other components (5). They have … Continue reading →

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Outline of Calvin’s Institutes, Book 1

Posted on May 19, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Outline and Notes. Knowledge of God Calvin placed intuitive knowledge on a more direct footing.  We have direct knowledge of an actually present object:  Intuitive knowledge arises under the direct impact of the divine Being. Calvin: We know God through … Continue reading →

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Do Properties Think?

Posted on May 7, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

In Plantinga’s fine chapter “Materialism and Christian Belief” (ed. Peter Van Inwagen, Persons: Human and Divine) he notes a difficulty in Thomism where it tries to defend dualism.  Dualism is the standard Christian belief that man cannot be reduced to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Church History, Philosophy, Scholasticism | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Person =/= Soul

Posted on January 28, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Key to the definition of person is that it can’t be defined in terms of any of the soul’s or nature’s functions.  As part of what it means to be human is to have a soul (however you want to … Continue reading →

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A patristic ordo theologiae

Posted on January 28, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

The following summary comes from years of studying and interacting with Joseph Farrell’s theological works.  I had a breakthrough yesterday on the nature of the soul. Many substance dualists see the soul as the person, yet Christologically this is impermissible, … Continue reading →

Posted in Church History, Fathers | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Review: God Incarnate

Posted on January 14, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

I’ve gotten to the point that if someone asks me for a basic book on Christology, I point them to Oliver Crisp. Any of his works. I learned more Christology from this book than in my week long Christology course … Continue reading →

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Analytical Outline of American Augustinian

Posted on December 1, 2017 by J. B. Aitken

While the title appears to limit the book’s scope, this treatise is nothing less than a masterpiece in explaining key loci in Reformed theology.  Oliver Crisp outlines how William G.T. Shedd’s “Augustinian Realism” shapes his theology–and he makes us love … Continue reading →

Posted in American Theology, theology | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Notes on Berkouwer’s anthropology

Posted on July 4, 2017 by J. B. Aitken

From his Man: The Image of God On the broader/narrower distinction: man, despite his fall, was not beastialized (38).  By narrower man lost his communion with God. the broader sense reminds us of what was not lost in the fall. … Continue reading →

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