When you view the talk by Dr. Egnor you will hear him discuss the very significant work of Benjamin Libet, an American neuroscientist who pioneered in the field of consciousness. His studies have been interpreted to show that all unconscious volitional processes can be traced to the material brain, that free will plays no part in their initiation. Eventually he concluded that humans have free won’t, a manifestation of free will to the extent that intentions that emanate from the brain can be cancelled by the human will. Libet’s work has profoundly influenced the studies and perceptions of many neuroscientists and philosophers who to this day reduce all human intentions and will to the workings of the brain. This is a perspective of monism that denies dualist interaction between an immaterial mind and the material synaptic networks of the human brain. Egnor shares that Libet concluded that the willful intents that emerge from the brain, that give expression to materialist reductionism, show a scientific validation for essentially the Fall, going back to Adam and Eve. The question that must be, and is being, asked is if evil intent or will emerges solely from the physiology of the brain? This view can work against assigning personal responsibility and accountability for illegal acts!
From the information I have shared in my books and blogs, it is my hope that the reader will accept that the mind, the will, of humans (the soul) is an immaterial reality that interacts with the human spirit. In turn the human spirit is open to personal interaction with the Holy Spirit. This interaction was restored to fallen mankind by the grace of God through the sin sacrifice of his resurrected Son, Jesus Christ, who sent as he promised the Holy Spirit to once again indwell repentant mankind, serving as Counselor and Helper. But the human spirit and soul are also vulnerable to the influence of evil spirits, to Satan. Yes, we humans have free won’t, but we also have free will given to mankind by our Creator God. It is our immaterial cognitive mind that is the source of willful intent, of volition. We are justified by faith, not works, yet are accountable for our volitional actions, righteously to be judged ultimately by Jesus Christ. I pray that my writings are presenting compelling evidence for dualist interaction with God through his Holy Spirit, restored by the sin sacrifice in our behalf of Jesus Christ. The scientific validation of this reality is a formidable challenge, to be sure, but tiny positive steps are being taken toward this end.