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George was my Philosophy of Man professor during my third year at StFX. Of all the teachers and professors I've had both inside and outside the field of academia, he left the greatest mark on my life.

I think his biggest influences on my life were not to take it too seriously, not to be afraid of the big questions, and most of all how to think for myself. George was the kind of person that allowed and encouraged free thought and its expression. He introduced us to dualism and Taoism, which my still-feeble mind is just grasping. I sparred with his son (Eric) on the Taekwondo mat and with George inside the classroom (taekwondo was much easier).

I'll never forget him asking us to please tell him to shut up if he began to ramble-and inevitably one day Mark MacInnes (now the manager at Central Supplies) did just that with a few colourful metaphors, causing George to pause momentarily before thanking Mark for "getting him back on track."

I shall never forget our discussion on the location of the soul (presuming its existence) within the human body. The question was "Where inside the body does the soul reside?" We all had various ideas as to the whereabouts of our own immortal soul, ranging from the heart, the eyes, the brain to more outlandish ideas. George proceeded to set up a scenario. The scenario used the fictional Steve Austin, "the six million dollar man" (a still familiar and popular TV icon of the time), as the agent. The scenario went like this: Veteran test pilot Steve Austin was testing a new supersonic aircraft when it crashed causing him to lose both legs, an arm and one eye. A secret government agency rebuilt his lost parts with bionic limbs and organs. The question George asked was did he still have a soul? Everyone agreed that of course he still had a soul. So George went further in his query. Steve Austin was asked to pilot another experimental aircraft. It crashed and he lost his remaining arm, his heart was badly damaged and had to be replaced, as well as most of his internal organs and remaining eye. Once again George asked if Steve Austin still possessed a soul? Some in the class were not as certain, thinking that maybe the soul resided in the heart, but for the most part we agreed that he was still in full possession of a healthy robust soul. George again pushed the scenario by sending the 6 million dollar man up on yet another test flight, which crashed once again ("they really ought to have given serious consideration to another pilot in light of all these crashes," said George lightheartedly).

This time the horrific crash resulted in all remaining human body parts being replaced by bionics and a special new fabricated skin. Most of Steve's brain also had to be replaced as it was badly damaged. Before it was replaced all of his memories and cerebral functions were transferred to the new bionic brain. Once again George asked the question. Does Steve Austin still have a soul? The class took longer to reach a consensus in light of the circumstances, but in the end the majority believed that, yes, Steve Austin still possessed a soul, even though this man was almost completely a bionic machine with only a small part of his brain remaining intact. George pushed on and yet again sent Steve Austin on a dangerous test flight, but as he was getting into the experimental craft he slipped on a wayward monkey wrench left on the wing by some careless mechanic and he fell and struck his head on the asphalt (at least he didn't wreck yet another plane). The resulting trauma to his head caused the doctors to transfer the remaining memories and cerebral functions of his natural brain to yet another part of a bionic brain to be added to the one already installed. Steve Austin was now completely bionic; he had no biological parts. Did Steve Austin still have a soul and, if not, where did it go and when? Silence in the classroom.

George reminded us that there is no wrong answer, merely an opportunity to think. The questions posed by George take on more importance in light of the current advances in artificial intelligence and biological machines that store memory in DNA more efficiently than silicone. Now, some years later, and upon further reflection, I have a different understanding of the Steve Austin question. Did Steve Austin possess the soul or did the soul possess Steve Austin, the spirit having a human experience?

His students' experience of George was rich and full. He affected me positively, as he did many others. Where is George now? Maybe wishing he had bionic parts, but more likely laughing and still not taking "the afterlife" too seriously. Happy trails George. . . see you sooner or later.

St. Francis Xavier University, BBA 1987