Univ.-Prof. i.R. Dr. Hans GOLLER SJ
Retired since 1st of October 2008.
Department for Christian Philosophy
Karl-Rahner-Platz 1
A-6020 Innsbruck
E-mail: hans.goller@uibk.ac.at
Office hours: On appointment
Research interests
My main research focuses on philosophical issues in psychology related to the current understanding of the relationship between consciousness and brain processes. How are consciousness, experience, behavior, and action associated with neural activities? What specific roles do emotions play in decision making, thinking, behavior, and action? Is free will really a mere illusion as some neuroscientists suggest? During my work in the field of clinical psychology and psychotherapy I came across these questions. Recently, I dealt with research findings in the field of neurotheology and near-death-experiences which challenge the widely held conviction that the brain produces consciousness and consciousness does not survive brain death because it ceases when brain activity ceases. Results of my inquiries can be found in the following publications:
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Emotionspsychologie und Leib-Seele-Problem. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer 1992.
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psychologie: Emotion, Motivation, Verhalten. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer 1995.
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Das Rätsel von Körper und Geist. Eine philosophische Deutung. Darmstadt: Primus Verlag 2003.
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Erleben, Erinnern, Handeln. Eine Einführung in die psychologie und ihre philosophischen Grenzfragen. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer 2009.
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Sind Nahtoderfahrungen ein Beweis für das Überleben unseres Todes? In: A. Lang & P. Marinkovic (Hrsg.), Bios - Cultus – (Im)mortalitas. Zu Religion und Kultur - Von den biologischen Grundlagen bis zu Jenseitsvorstellungen. Rahden Westfalen: Verlag Marie Leidorf GmbH 2012, S. 247-264.
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Mortal Body, Immortal Mind: Does the Brain Really Produce Consciousness? In: Forum Philosophicum, volume 17/ number 1, 2012, pp. 5-26.
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Wohnt Gott im Gehirn?: Warum die Neurowissenschaften die Religion nicht erklären. Kevelaer: Butzon & Bercker 2015
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Das Rätsel Seele: Was sagt uns die Wissenschaft? Kevelaer: Butzon & Bercker 2017