The Immortal in You: How Human Nature Is More Than Science Can Say

by Michael Augros

Overview

Many scientists and philosophers believe that you are no more than a machine. By their account there is no afterlife and you are no better than any other kind of animal. The existence of mankind, according to such thinkers, is purely the outcome of chance events. There never was any tendency, natural or supernatural, to produce life and the human mind. The universe is hostile or indifferent toward you, and you occupy no special place within it.

At the heart of this story of mankind lies not science but a rarely expressed philosophical assumption that modern science, at least in principle, tells all there is to know about you and the world. With his unique blend of cogency, clarity, and charm, philosopher Michael Augros hauls that assumption out into the light and demolishes it. The Immortal in You demonstrates how an astute use of common sense and a study of common human experience reveal that there is more to you—much more—than science could possibly say.

From the author of Who Designed the Designer?, this modern response to the ancient exhortation "Know thyself" delivers a wealth of fresh, powerful, and uplifting ideas about what it is to be human, which will engage thoughtful readers regardless of their beliefs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781621641537
Publisher:	Ignatius Press
Publication date:	07/17/2017
Pages:	324
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Michael Augros holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Boston College and teaches at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California. He is the author of Who Designed the Designer? A Rediscovered Path to God's Existence and of numerous scholarly articles that have appeared in such journals as the Thomist, Angelicum, and the National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly.

Table of Contents

Prologue: More than Science Can Say 9

Chapter 1 Your Insider's View 21

Chapter 2 Hidden Powers 38

Chapter 3 Introducing: Your Intellect 54

Chapter 4 Paragon of Animals 73

Chapter 5 Beyond the Brain 97

Chapter 6 A Life-and-Death Question 115

Chapter 7 Black Birds and Blackbirds 136

Chapter 8 What Growth Says about You 156

Chapter 9 Your Immortal Soul 171

Chapter 10 Eyes Are for Seeing 183

Chapter 11 The End of Evolution 199

Chapter 12 A Totally Original Thought 219

Chapter 13 Know Thyself: Audrey's Problem 236

Chapter 14 Know Thyself: The Five Half-Truths of Scientism 251

Chapter 15 Know Thyself: An Integral Knowledge of Nature 281

Epilogue: Afterlife 287

Acknowledgments 301

Appendix: Chapter Summaries and Related Passages in Aquinas 303

Corrigendum concerning an Electric Shark 311

Index 313

Editorial Reviews

"A fascinating journey of intelligent exploration into the greatest and most mysterious thing in the universe: yourself, your nature, and your destiny. This is far and away the best book I have ever read about the nature of mankind as far as natural reason can know it. On a scale of 1 to 10, I have to give it a 12."
— Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, Boston College; Author, Summa of the Summa

"Augros's fine book is philosophically deep yet accessible to the non-specialist, and it acknowledges what we know from modern science while demolishing the error of scientism."
— Edward Feser, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Pasadena City College

"In his Lost in the Cosmos, Walker Percy detailed how we materialistic moderns lost our common-sense grasp of reality, especially the reality of our selves. Michael Augros has given us one of the finest maps I've seen, detailing—patiently, wisely, and humorously—how we can find ourselves again."
— Benjamin Wiker, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Franciscan University; Author, In Defense of Nature

"Through persistent questioning, Augros invites the reader to join him in an adventure in philosophy, a quest for self-knowledge."
— Thomas Hibbs, Ph.D., Honors College Dean, Baylor University

"Don't be fooled by the light touch and the pop culture allusions. This book delivers some very interesting answers to the question posed by the psalmist, 'What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?'"
— Patrick Coffin, Host of The Patrick Coffin Show

"A master surgeon armed with words instead of scalpels, Augros makes his case meticulously, showing why the soul, the mind, and human purpose are real even if the sciences can't detect them. He never bashes science but makes a persuasive case that science doesn't have all the answers—or even the best questions."
— Brandon Vogt, Author, Saints and Social Justice

From the Publisher