Materialism posits that all of reality can be reduced to a physical description of the dynamics of matter and energy. Such reductive scientific descriptions work quite well for most things, but what about mental states and mental activity? Even atheist philosophers like Thomas Nagel have argued that the existence of mental states are fundamentally incompatible with reductive naturalism. This Thursday, we’ll explore this question of mental states, objective vs. subjective descriptions of reality, and how naturalism or theism may account for these states.
Click here to listen on iTunes
About Dr. Green
Dr. Micah J. Green is an associate professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University. His research combines experiment and simulation to bring the field of chemical engineering to bear on both nanomaterial production and novel nanotechnology applications. These extraordinary nanomaterials have unique geometries that combine bulk dimensions with atomic dimensions; graphene and carbon nanotubes show promise for use in composites, coatings, batteries, and even 3D printing. For more on Dr. Green’s research, consult his research webpage.
In addition to his scholarly work, Dr. Green serves as the faculty advisor for several organizations at Texas A&M, including Navigators, Ratio Christi, and Christian Grads. Dr. Green has delivered talks on interaction between faith and science, including “Faithful Science“, “Is it Rational to Believe Anything Other than Science?“, and others.
