From the emergent property of consciousness to the emergence of the immaterial soul or mind’s substance

Consciousness cannot arise from purely physical systems because physical entities are intrinsically multiple, absent, and deficient. Instead, the emergence of consciousness requires the emergence of an immaterial mental substance or soul. Arguments from properties such as the first-person perspective, qualia, and the capacity for invention support substance-emergentism over property-emergentism. Drawing on the philosophy of Mulla Sadra, the article responds to objections from property-emergentists and argues that the immaterial soul emerges after stages of natural bodily evolution. This view links science and religion, providing a foundation for beliefs in the afterlife and religious morality.

Study at a glance

Abstract

According to property-emergentism, consciousness is an emergent property of certain aggregate neurological constructions, whereas substance-emergentism maintains that the emergence of consciousness depends on the emergence of mental substance or soul. In this article, we presented some arguments supporting substance-emergentism by analysing various properties of consciousness, including the first-person perspective, referral state, qualia, being active, causative, non-atomic, interpretative, inferential and inventive (emanative and innovative). We also explored the impossibility of representing big images on the small monitor and the incapacity of physical entities being conscious because of their intrinsic multiplicity, absence and deficiency. These arguments, which apply the philosophy of Mulla Sadra, could be considered by philosophers of mind and religion, as well as theologians who follow some religious beliefs such as the afterlife on existence and survival of the soul. Also, we attempted to respond to property-emergentists’ objections to substance-emergentism. Contribution: This research contributes to prove and accept the emergence of the immaterial soul after the stages of natural evolution of the body. It uses the basics of emergentism, including natural evolution, to link science and religion in believing the existence of the immaterial soul. Demonstrating the immaterial reality of human existence provides the ground for theological issues such as afterlife and religious morality.