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The Number of the Soul : Theology and the Metaphysics of Integrated Information Theory

Björk, Mårten LU (2021) In Philosophy, Theology and the Sciences (PTSc)
Abstract
Following the claim in Fides et Ratio that »[m]etaphysics … plays an essential role of meditation in theological research« (John Paul II 1998), I examine how the neuroscientists Christof Koch and Giulio Tononi's Integrated Information Theory (IIT) challenges a physicalist view on consciousness and even life. I discuss IIT in relation to the mathematician Norbert Wiener's Augustinian view on the organism as a message and to the German cybernetician Gotthard Günther's Paulinian understanding of life and consciousness. By examining what these 'secular theologies' imply for the understanding of life and relating them to Davide Tarizzo and Ivan Illich's discussion on the transformation of the concept of life during modernity, I claim that IIT... (More)
Following the claim in Fides et Ratio that »[m]etaphysics … plays an essential role of meditation in theological research« (John Paul II 1998), I examine how the neuroscientists Christof Koch and Giulio Tononi's Integrated Information Theory (IIT) challenges a physicalist view on consciousness and even life. I discuss IIT in relation to the mathematician Norbert Wiener's Augustinian view on the organism as a message and to the German cybernetician Gotthard Günther's Paulinian understanding of life and consciousness. By examining what these 'secular theologies' imply for the understanding of life and relating them to Davide Tarizzo and Ivan Illich's discussion on the transformation of the concept of life during modernity, I claim that IIT points to the possibility of a theology of being. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Following the claim in Fides et Ratio that »[m]etaphysics … plays an essential role of meditation in theological research« (John Paul II 1998), I examine how the neuroscientists Christof Koch and Giulio Tononi's Integrated Information Theory (IIT) challenges a physicalist view on consciousness and even life. I discuss IIT in relation to the mathematician Norbert Wiener's Augustinian view on the organism as a message and to the German cybernetician Gotthard Günther's Paulinian understanding of life and consciousness. By examining what these 'secular theologies' imply for the understanding of life and relating them to Davide Tarizzo and Ivan Illich's discussion on the transformation of the concept of life during modernity, I claim that IIT... (More)
Following the claim in Fides et Ratio that »[m]etaphysics … plays an essential role of meditation in theological research« (John Paul II 1998), I examine how the neuroscientists Christof Koch and Giulio Tononi's Integrated Information Theory (IIT) challenges a physicalist view on consciousness and even life. I discuss IIT in relation to the mathematician Norbert Wiener's Augustinian view on the organism as a message and to the German cybernetician Gotthard Günther's Paulinian understanding of life and consciousness. By examining what these 'secular theologies' imply for the understanding of life and relating them to Davide Tarizzo and Ivan Illich's discussion on the transformation of the concept of life during modernity, I claim that IIT points to the possibility of a theology of being. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Being, Cybernetics, Consciousness, Experience, Fides et Ratio, Integrated Information Theory, Life, Mind, Noise, Order, Platonism, Soul, Theology
in
Philosophy, Theology and the Sciences (PTSc)
pages
25 pages
publisher
Mohr Siebeck
ISSN
2195-9773
DOI
10.1628/ptsc-2021-0018
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
02c3aca3-be26-4479-b611-00060f1a0472
date added to LUP
2024-10-04 14:08:03
date last changed
2025-04-04 13:55:00
@article{02c3aca3-be26-4479-b611-00060f1a0472,
  abstract     = {{Following the claim in Fides et Ratio that »[m]etaphysics … plays an essential role of meditation in theological research« (John Paul II 1998), I examine how the neuroscientists Christof Koch and Giulio Tononi's Integrated Information Theory (IIT) challenges a physicalist view on consciousness and even life. I discuss IIT in relation to the mathematician Norbert Wiener's Augustinian view on the organism as a message and to the German cybernetician Gotthard Günther's Paulinian understanding of life and consciousness. By examining what these 'secular theologies' imply for the understanding of life and relating them to Davide Tarizzo and Ivan Illich's discussion on the transformation of the concept of life during modernity, I claim that IIT points to the possibility of a theology of being.}},
  author       = {{Björk, Mårten}},
  issn         = {{2195-9773}},
  keywords     = {{Being; Cybernetics; Consciousness; Experience; Fides et Ratio; Integrated  Information Theory; Life; Mind; Noise; Order; Platonism; Soul; Theology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Mohr Siebeck}},
  series       = {{Philosophy, Theology and the Sciences (PTSc)}},
  title        = {{The Number of the Soul : Theology and the Metaphysics of Integrated Information Theory}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1628/ptsc-2021-0018}},
  doi          = {{10.1628/ptsc-2021-0018}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}