Physicist Jerome W. Elbert reviews the ancient origins of the soul concept, looks at Christian beliefs and pagan parallels, and then considers how the advance of science has changed our fundamental understanding of the brain and consciousness. These new scientific insights, he points out, inevitably affect our traditional ideas about the soul. Moreover, many contemporary dilemmas have much to do with whether or not we posit the existence of a soul--for example, the question of free will and the debate over abortion. Taking into consideration the views of many recognized experts, he moves to...