Why Bodies are Good Things

Though we can survive without our bodies, we cannot thrive in a disembodied state. Assuming we can have memories without brains, we can think as mere minds or souls and we can pray, but we cannot sense and we cannot perform actions that require a physical means; we are unable to see without eyes and we need legs in order to dance. Though bodiless communication with other humans might be possible through telepathy, we would not be able to see, hear, or embrace each other. In sum, without bodies we would be crippled. Embodiment is a wonderful gift from God.

Understanding Human Beings

Aristotle defined human beings as rational animals. We are animals insofar as we are embodied. And our embodiment in biological organisms makes us suitable objects of study by the natural sciences of physics, chemistry, and biology. But we are also rational, and, given a Christian perspective, spiritual animals. Can the natural sciences provide a complete explanation of our rationality and spirituality? If we are rational and spiritual in virtue of having or being immaterial souls, then the answer is “no.” If substance dualism is true, our full understanding of ourselves will have to be based on additional, non-natural human sciences.