Neurotheology

Still on the theme of biological effects or affects of spirituality and faith.
“The point has to be made that spiritual experience is intrinsic to human nature,” Winkelman said. “The people at this conference are looking at the physiological and physical manifestations of spirituality to develop the scientific framework that will eventually answer the question: What is it about our physical selves that makes the spirit so much a part of our being?”
The article has a qquick romp through some of the issues in neurotheology, though not very informatively in the end as I had hoped. I do think, however, that the issue of how God [or whatever] would interact withus raises the question of how that might or might not show up in brain scans or anything else. This is very much territory where our old friend the god-of-the-gaps could put in appearance and I wondered whether the discussion about quantum indeterminacy was just such an appearance. I think that some of the issues probably relates to how we conceptualise bottom-up causality and top-down causality ... but that is a matter for another time when I've had more opportunity to think further; but your ideas by all means....
Also see this article.

Science & Theology News - Research Reports: Neurotheologians convene at Kansas City conference