RE: How are Dark Mtter and Consciousness different from Spirit?
February 9, 2016 at 1:19 pm
(This post was last modified: February 9, 2016 at 1:26 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
(February 9, 2016 at 12:01 pm)Jörmungandr Wrote: Yes, but why is it discredited?I suppose we could count the ways off? We could begin with perhaps the earliest and most primitive conception of spirit or soul as the "animating force or substance" - which turned out to be, rather than spirit, metabolism. Simple mis-attribution. I'm sure you could contribute. What other things were attributed to spirit or soul, that the answer "soul or spirit" was proposed as a hypothetical in reference to?
Quote: Saying that it is discredited without giving a reason why is just an argument from consensus. And I would have to disagree with your assertion about consciousness. If by observed we mean witnessed by our perceptual systems, consciousness as a brain process has never been observed directly.What do you think we're watching when we watch the brain work? Nevertheless, I think that a more direct observation would be that which you experience with regards to your own. Take it either way you like., or, if you prefer leave it...we'll consider consciousness to be indirectly observed.
Quote: That places the hypothesis that consciousness is a brain process in the same category as the explanations that involve dark matter. There is indirect evidence, but no direct observation.Taking all of this on it's face and arguing nothing, then within that category consciousness would still rank considerably higher. We have a far greater weight and volume of indirect evidence for consciousness....than for dark matter
Quote: Which is the same situation in which the hypothesis about spirits and souls is in — there is indirect evidence but no direct observation. So your tripartite scheme collapses into itself.Would you share some of this indirect evidence for spirits and souls? Metabolism, "the animating force" is out, I see you mentioned that consciousness might be such evidence. So, "the thinking stuff"? Seems to me to be another example of metabolism, of mis-attribution.
I wonder what soul or spirit would be taken to mean in the absence of animating forces or consciousness? What's next on the list of things that spirit might be or do if the latter is removed as was the former?
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