Volume 61, 2018
Philosophy of Religion
Petros Farantakis
Pages 55-59
Mind and Religious Self: A Convergence?
Since mind is not a physical entity, we may assume that it is the awareness of consciousness that takes place within the brain. That is, perception, memory, imagination, emotion and thought. On the other hand, chemical structures are stored, in the complex dynamic system of the brain, forming information in sets of synaptic connections. Furthermore, self includes essential traits which constitute person’s uniqueness and independency. If we come to define spiritual identity, we may say it is the permanent sense of self that addresses vital questions about nature, the purpose and the meaning of life. What can lead us to spiritual life is both religion and philosophy. If we isolate spiritual life from the rest forms of life, we don’t have an overall picture of science and the world. However pure religious knowledge is not founded only on natural evidence but mostly on revealed information. Hence ecclesial hypostasis accepts our biological nature but wishes to hypostasize it in a non-biological way, to give it eternal life. In this way man is disclosed as a person contributing to the idea of an open ethical consideration.