CNR Post, March 17, 2008. Assembling Life: The Dualist's Dilemma

Assembling Life: The Dualist’s Dilemma

Consider the train of thought of a mind-body dualist who is pondering on the implications of a synthetic being capable of complex human behavior; something put together part by part, made to order. Let us call this new synthetic human, “numan”. Here are some questions that may occur to our dualist. Does the numan have any feelings? Does the numan have a soul? Should I use him/her when referring to the numan, or should I use the inanimate personal-pronoun “it”. This thought experiment takes us to the very core of the philosophical conflict between supernatural beliefs and naturalistic science. The mind-body duality concept is one of the last of a long tradition of supernatural ideas that have dominated human culture over thousands of years. In this post, I propose that this is one area of thought that must undergo a transformation over the next century as the philosophical implications of naturalistic science come in conflict with traditionally held beliefs.

The Synthetic Cell:

On January 24^th, 2008, a small group of scientists working at the J. Craig Venter center in Maryland announced that they had synthesized the genome of a commonly found bacterial species from scratch. With this accomplishment, humanity has moved a step closer to the complete synthesis of an entire functional cell. This is an immensely important landmark in the story of life on earth. Non-directional physical forces that led to the evolution of intelligence have brought biology back full circle, and intelligence has now created new life. It is only a matter of time before we are capable of de-novo synthesis of entire organisms. Philosophically speaking, this is a major victory for the reductionist view of reality. The concept of a biological machine that is “created” of purely physical elements, will present a strong case for scientific materialism. Purely physical parts can, it will seem, function in a way indistinguishable from such biological elements that are of natural origin.

The Cyborg Numan:

There is a way to re-define the mind-body debate-using the concept of the cyborg. This concept was, in modern times, born in Mary Shelly’s fertile imagination as Dr. Frankenstein’s monster; sewn together of the inanimate parts of the dead. The term cyborg itself was coined by two research scientists in the 1960s in a paper proposing a solution to the biological problems associated with space travel. Over the years, many variations of the cyborg idea have entered popular discourse, the most common of which almost always involved mechanical machinery incorporated into biological tissue. Many of us are living cyborgs today, in some way a hybrid of human and machine. Philosophers such as Donna Haraway have contributed to this modern acceptance of the cyborg tag being applied to some among us.

One of the philosophical implications of the development of cyborgs is that the question of monism vs. dualism can be analyzed in a new light. In essence, the idea is this: If mechanical structures can work in conjunction with biological structures, does it damage the idea of a dualistic “soul” existing outside of the physical body? In the near future it is likely that, with new developments in neurophysiology, nanotechnology and cybernetics, we will have cyborgs possessing artificial components that modify thinking and behavior. However, arguments for naturalistic monism in such cyborgs are still not very convincing to a dualist. The question then becomes, will it be possible to create a cyborg using purely biological materials? Let us consider a hypothetical case. Consider a synthetic embryo that has the potential to develop into an adult. Let us call this adult “numan”. If the DNA present in the embryo from which the numan develops is synthesized from scratch, that individual is a product of artificial creation. No supernatural forces go into the making of this embryo. Since the DNA in the embryo is copied and present in every cell of the numan and the brain of the numan is the function of purely physical factors resulting from the synthesized DNA, the mind-body distinction cannot be justified here. Numan is a dualist’s conundrum.

The Shrinking Soul:

It is rare, these days, for one to come across someone who believes in an animate earth or an animate sun although these ideas were once very common. In fact, many ancient cultures have myths that involve such beliefs. Over the centuries a new way of studying reality, called science, has replaced most of these beliefs. Science makes use of a set of methods that help to objectively analyze the natural world, thus invalidating accusations of subjective cultural bias. It has been observed using these methods that there are laws that govern inanimate matter and it has been proposed that these laws are universal in their influence.

The idea of a “soul” is a relic of our past penchant for a living universe. The lack of material understanding that permeated primitive cultures, combined with the curiosity and the need for understanding that all humans possess, led our ancestors to propose that there was some force that lay beyond the physical; a force that made these entities perform seemingly animate functions. It is this relic from the past that refuses to allow that a purely physical universe can function in the complex way that biological life does. This concept of a supernatural “soul” is the last refuge of the animists. Many religious scholars have adopted a diluted version of the philosophical implications of science by conceding the functional aspects of the brain while maintaining the supernatural concept of the “soul”. However, this position is increasingly coming to be regarded as logically flawed. Scientists such as Daniel Dennett have labeled this idea an epiphenomenon, rendering it rationally indefensible. The “soul”, in modern intellectualism, is dying, and bio-technology is hastening the process.

An Altered Mindset:

The projected demise of the “soul” may indeed be a premature supposition, but there can be no room for such dualistic constructs in a future cultural tradition based on science. It is imperative that we propose and adopt alternatives to the old traditions because without new cultural concepts to ensure the functionality of human society, living becomes a purpose-less ordeal punctuated by one insignificant event after another. Specifically, this involves identifying and replacing culturally relevant ideas that are traditionally symbolized by the intangible “soul”. One of the most powerful of these ideas is that of the continuation of life beyond the physical body. Various religious schools have used the metaphysical idea of the “soul” to placate their flock by providing alternately comforting and distressing scenarios. The concept of heaven and hell in Christianity and the idea of infinite re-incarnation in Hinduism are examples of this. Although these concepts may have been used by these dogmatic belief systems to exert a degree of control over the actions of their believers, they also played an important role in providing a comforting ignorance to those who followed them.

Moving from a culture based on supernatural belief to one based on a natural understanding of reality may indeed be a hard pill for many to swallow. This is a commonly heard argument made by many who themselves do not subscribe to the supernatural. However, there are many among us who have adopted just such a change in perspective and who find their lives enriched by the new naturalistic philosophy. Many elated minds have claimed that the knowledge that comes with being released from traditional superstition can lead to a more fulfilling existence than before. In any case, conceiving of a natural purpose for ourselves based on an elevated understanding of the wonder of the natural universe is its own reward.