This is just an excerpt from my final biology project. My goal was to describe how the organ systems of the body work together to maintain homeostasis, putting into practice all the known types of intelligence according to Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Here’s the excerpt from the “existentialist intelligence” exercise —

Healthy choices: How can we freely choose, despite being subject to so many biological mechanisms beyond our control, to help maintain our own homeostasis? The most obvious answer would be to eat a nutritious diet that avoids too much fat, sugar and sodium, drink plenty of water, abstain from drug use (including legal drugs like nicotine and alcohol), have sexual intercourse only with one’s faithful spouse, maintain a regular exercise program, get the required amount of sleep, avoid living in an area of high pollution, and avoid too much stress. Can you think of others? Avoiding too much stress, as well as all the other healthy choices, provides a link between biological and spiritual homeostasis. After all, biological homeostasis is a means to our existence, and not the end. Unhealthy choices with biological consequences are a symptom of a breakdown in spiritual homeostasis. There is an objective definition for biological and spiritual homeostasis and objective ways of maintaining them. Spiritual homeostasis is a loving relationship with God and eachother, and He has shown us that He loves us, warts and all, by taking our place on the cross. Spiritual homeostasis, if we accept it, produces Golden Rule choices between ourselves and eachother – healthy choices which result in biological homeostasis. Recall in the musical exercise, the question: If your state of homeostasis were a song – what would it be? Perhaps you would have to compose a new tune, or a collection of new tunes, for the occasion? Perhaps you are not in a state of homeostasis – is there an appropriate tune floating in the background music of your mind? Now apply that question to your spiritual state.