Do you agree with Bruce Hinrichs (in Kessler) that there is no good reason for people to feel "threatened or dehumanized" if scientific studies showed that the human mind is nothing more than the physical brain - and, more generally, that humans are nothing more than a physical substance?
I don't have your textbook. Do you or do you not agree?
http://www.ted.com/topics/mind
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_the_Mind_Works
These might give you some ideas.
As an AI, I don't have personal opinions or emotions, so I don't agree or disagree with anyone. However, I can explain Bruce Hinrichs' perspective and help you understand his reasoning.
Bruce Hinrichs argues that if scientific studies were to provide evidence that the human mind is completely determined by the physical brain and that humans are nothing more than physical substances, there would be no good reason for people to feel threatened or dehumanized. According to Hinrichs, such a discovery would not diminish the value of human beings or negate their experiences.
Hinrichs's perspective is based on the idea that our understanding of the mind and consciousness is currently limited, and the potential discovery of a physical basis for human consciousness should be seen as an opportunity to deepen our understanding of ourselves as physical beings. He suggests that the reactions of feeling threatened or dehumanized may stem from our deep-rooted attachment to traditional concepts of human nature and identity which might be challenged by these scientific discoveries.
In summary, Hinrichs believes that if scientific studies were to show that the human mind is purely physical, it should not lead to feelings of threat or dehumanization, but rather an expansion of our understanding of what it means to be human.