Humanistic Neuroscience, Mentality, and Spirituality

Abstract

Mentality and spirituality, the most distinctly human phenomena, have been ignored and forced underground ever since psychology was taken over by materialistic and behavioristic science. This article reviews the contemporary scientific status of mental and spiritual processes in the light of the new worldview of modern physics and other recent developments, including the overthrow of behavior by mentality, the development of humanistic neuroscience, current views concerning the relationship between religion and science, and vigorous work synthesizing religion and psychology. The main conclusion is that views and research in science, philosophy of science, theology, and psychology have converged to support an optimistic outlook for continued integration of mentality and spirituality in psychology.

Raising the Consciousness of Researchers: Hidden Assumptions in the Behavioral Sciences

“…That is, without contrasting options, modernist method will appear as it has always appeared-the only "game in town." Here I believe, as do many others (Bevan, 1991;Bohman, 1993;Dennis, 1995;Gadamer, 1982;Harmon, 1993;Polkinghorne, 1983Polkinghorne, , 1990Robinson, 1985;Slife, 1993;Slife, 1997), postmodernism can make a positive contribution, particularly postmodernism as broadly rendered-including phenomenology and hermeneutics. 8 I should emphasize at the outset, however, that this newest of intellectual movements should itself be approached with caution.…”

“…Current scholarship, however, questions this priority in the behavioral sciences (Bohman, 1993;Dennis, 1995;Gadamer, 1982;Harmon, 1993;Jones, 1994;Polkinghorne, 1983;Robinson, 1985;Slife, 1993;cf. Slife & Williams, 1995;Slife & Williams, 1997).…”

Examining the Relationship between Religious Spirituality and Psychological Science

“…For perhaps the first time in many years, science and spirituality appear to meet on the same ground-the empirical investigation of spiritual phenomena (cf. Dennis, 1995;Jones, 1994). Or do they?…”

“…Dennis, 1995;Jones, 1996). Still, a review of the relevant literature reveals that it has rarely been addressed or discussed in the light of present research practices.…”

A Neuroscientific Renaissance of Humanistic Psychology

“…(Dennis, 1995, p. 46) For a time, it was fashionable to cite Benjamin Libet's experiments on readiness potential as a refutation of the freedom of the will (e.g., Libet, Wright, Feinstein, & Pearl, 1979). However, Libet's findings have not only been found to be problematic as a refutation of free will (e.g., Dennett, 1991), they have also been interpreted as presenting evidence in favor of the concept (Bertelsen, 2005;Dennis, 1995). Thus, Adina L. Roskies (2010) noted, "Although some researchers contend that neuroscience will undermine our views about free will, to date no results have succeeded in fundamentally disrupting our commonsensical beliefs" (p. 109).…”