Why Would a Biologist Believe in the Soul? | Professor Jonathan Buttaci

Prof. Jonathan Buttaci, examines the idea of the soul from a biological perspective, drawing on Aristotle's comprehensive treatment of the soul as a principle of life for all living things. He challenges the modern scientific view, exemplified by James Watson's statement that life is simply a matter of chemistry, and instead suggests that the soul can be understood as a non-magical, non-mystical concept within biology.This lecture was given on April 10th, 2023, at Indiana University.For more information on upcoming events, please visit our website: https://thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsSpeaker Bio: Dr. Jonathan Buttaci is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America. He came to CUA in 2016 after completing his Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Buttaci’s research focuses on accounts of mind and the soul in ancient Greek thought, in particular Aristotle’s theory of knowledge, learning, and scientific discovery. He is also interested more generally in the interplay between ancient Greek science, philosophy, and literature.

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The Thomistic Institute exists to promote Catholic truth in our contemporary world by strengthening the intellectual formation of Christians at universities, in the Church, and in the wider public square. The thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Universal Doctor of the Church, is our touchstone. The Thomistic Institute Podcast features the lectures and talks from our conferences, campus chapters events, intellectual retreats, livestream events,  and much more.  Founded in 2009, the Thomistic Institute is part of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC.