Physicalism Vs Dualism Essay

The relationship between body and soul has been discussed for centuries, from people believing that only the body exists, to other people believing that the human person is constituted by a soul and body. To the point of each group diverging into two theories; Dualism and Physicalism. My thesis: Physicalism, from a biblical perspective, is more flawed than Dualism. Also, my paper assumes a believe in God and the Bible scriptures as I plan to use Bible verses to establish and develop my thesis.

Dualism holds that the mind, or soul, is immaterial or made of an immaterial substance. Many dualists hold that this immaterial essence cannot be located in time and space, transcending humanity. According to this view, the physical realm and the mental realm exist as separate and distinct entities, and the body acts as an antenna between both.

In the other hand, Physicalism holds the believe that the mind is not an immaterial substance but is rather physical. According to this view, the brain and the

mind are on wherein the mind is a by-product of neural connections, implying that if the brain is destroyed or damaged, then the mind is similarly destroyed or damaged.
Where dualists, followers of Dualism, seem to be more attached to the scriptures, their experience, and tradition. Subsequently, physicalists, followers of Physicalism, seem to be more attached to reason and logic. In other words, because of the principal believes of both theories and what their followers relate to, they are often referred to as Faith versus Science.
Nevertheless, what does the Bible say about both of these ways of thinking? Genesis 2:7 as referred by Joel B. Green in the book “What about the Soul?” is the pivotal text, which says “16 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (King James Version) This verse is quite fascinating to me, because so much is said and most, if not all, is just left to interpretation. But regardless of interpretation, this verse clearly admits the existence of the soul, while at the same time saying that the human person is a living soul. Refuting the physicalism idea and base all together.
Finally, thus, going back to the prompt; What are we?

Souls? Bodies? A combination of the two? If I had to choose between Dualism and Physicalism, I would choose Dualism because it is the theory which comes the closest to my believes, as my believes as based from scripture and experience, as well as being raised within a Christian household. My absolute believe and where I stand as a Pentecostalist Christian, is that the human person is tri-partite just like God, and that we, humans, consist of a body, soul and spirit. In the same sense, Genesis 2:7 refers to the breath of life giving a living to the soul, to me, the breath of life is the spirit, which gives living to both the body and the soul. Also, Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, “7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Where the phrase “the spirit shall return unto God who gave it,” makes it seem as if we borrowed the spirit from God, and it will return back when we

die.
In conclusion, we have talked about the theories, Dualism and Physicalism, showing how the Physicalism, from a biblical perspective, is more flawed than Dualism. Furthermore, taking Genesis 2:7 as the anchor to my thesis as it clearly refutes the popular believe found in Physicalism. Anyway, what it all boils down to is that both theories agree on something, the body existing, while contradicting each other from thereon after. Nevertheless, choosing between physicalism and dualism is just a matter of what are the core believes of the person, while most of the people that agree with Dualism have more of religious background.