Brain scientist: virtue must be practiced, learned
October 21, 2008
A fascinating essay at First Things: On the Square by R. R. Reno on recent neurological research that supports what Christians have been saying all along:
“Our solutions to ethical problems, Cohen’s work shows, are influenced by the intercommunication between different parts of the brain. Subjects with a high degree of neural activity linking the brain stem to the frontal lobe tend to allow emotional responses to override rational assessments of moral dilemmas. Subjects make more rational decisions, he reports, when the neurological activity from the primitive part of the brain is blocked from interfering with the frontal lobe. Cohen then concludes that these patterns of open and blocked communication are not fixed by nature. They solidify over time. Our brain patterns are vulcanized, as he puts it, and this occurs by the constant repetition of these patterns. The river cuts its channel.”
Read “Brain Science and the Soul“.
A time to forgive?
October 10, 2008
Mollie Ziegler shares the fascinating account of a Christian man who admitted to committing rape and murder years after the crime, and the issues his case raises:
“His confession closed the case of the 1979 murder of 19-year-old Tracy Fresquez. He was sentenced to 20 to 60 years. His wife divorced him. His two children, now teenagers, grew up without him. And now he’s up for parole.”
The original story from KansasCity.com is here.
The science of beauty
October 9, 2008
“There is a difference, isn’t there, between beautiful and attractive.”
Beliefnet’s Rod Dreher comments on a NY Times story about a software program that can manipulate photos of people to make them appear more beautiful (to most beholders).
Right and wrong in The Dark Knight
October 9, 2008
John Schroeder weighs the issues at Blogotional:
“Now, it must be remembered that if the Joker actually died, it would be the end of the greatest comic rivalry in history, so there are very practical reasons why it has not happened. But even given that - why the moralism? Why not just have him, in typical comic style, undergo some transformative process where he was unkillable? I think because we have truly come to believe in the west that to kill evil is evil in itself - and that is a problem.”
What to make of Dexter
October 7, 2008
Beliefnet’s Ellen Leventry takes a stab (eh-hem) at explaining this provocative TV series.
“Yes, he kills people, but only people he can establish are truly guilty.”
Courage and virtue
October 7, 2008
Lukas Naugle reflects on their relationship, with the help of C. S. Lewis and John Piper, at the desiringGod blog.
Books, books, books
October 2, 2008
Four new book reviews:
- The Emerging Church: A Model for Change & A Map for Renewal, by Bruce Sanguin. Reviewed by Jonathan Brink at emergent village.
- The Crucifixion of Ministry: Surrendering Our Ambitions to the Service of Christ, by Andrew Purves. Reviewed by Jason Button at Sharper Iron.
- The Kind of Man Every Man Should Be: Taking a Stand for True Masculinity, by Kevin McCullough. Reviewed by Tom Parsons at Stones Cry Out.
- Why Can’t We Be Good?, by Jason Needleman. Reviewed by ochuk at 20 times around the block.
And ‘The Truth About Christian Bookstores‘ at Cerulean Sanctum.
