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Arguing that non-reductive materialism is less plausible than reductive: is that a retreat? a surrender? Or an invasion?

I think it of central importance to theism to argue that non-reductive materialism is more plausible than reductive materialism.  Or rather, to argue on the basis of what humans and non-humans have in common rather than on the basis of distinctively human characteristics, that the sort of materialism appealed to in order to attack theism is incoherent.

I suppose someone could consider that surrender.  To a philosophically ignorant person who is in the habit of thinking that there are only two choices--Cartesian dualism and reductive materialism--it will appear to be a move from dualism toward materialism.

But to someone who sees that there are at least four options, it may look quite different.  More like an invasion (and a justified one, at that) than a surrender.

Consider a German living in his country near the border with France late in WW II, when the allied forces had just started invading.  It would be delusional for him to imagine that the allies crossing over are doing so because they decided that Germany is so much better that the allies have come to surrender.  Something analogous would be the case if a reductive materialist interpreted the sort of argument I am proposing as a  retreat.

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