Occams Hatchet and Is Materialism "Special"

[bennyboy]

The same way you've determined whether or not I'm capable of subjective experience.

I don't determine whether people do or don't have mind. I make a philosophical assumption because it's convenient for me. But this is not what science is or how it is supposed to work.

Yeah yeah yeah, the science isn't science.  More gap creation.

You're right. Begging the question is much tighter than "gap creation." Anyway, what's the "gap?" What do you think I'm trying to split into this gap, as a declared agnostic? My position is that we do NOT know what mind really is, or why it exists, and your position is what? That we do? Fine. . . explain how material systems, under any arrangement, have the capacity to experience qualia. *holds breath*

 
People have been talking about all manner of silly shit for thousands of years.  In their case, it's understandable.  In our case, it would be unforgivable.

If you think mind is "silly shit," then that's a bit unfortunate for this discussion. The fact is that I have subjective experiences, and I'm curious about them, and people throughout history have claimed also to have subjective experiences, and demonstrated an interest in their nature.

 
Well of course.  Cat and gato are the same thing too....wonder of wonders.

Nobody is disputing whether those two words represent the same thing. You aren't giving another word for "mind" as the word means to so many people. You are giving words for correlates of mind, and insisting they are the same thing. This is a different linguistic process, and I believe you know that.

I'd only offer the science that isn't science.  I hardly see the point.  After pages and pages across threads and years now....it's a little bit idiotic to claim that I refuse to engage you on the subject.

Answer one question, and then we can talk about how idiotic the claim is. My question: how would you determine whether a given physical system does / doesn't have the ability to experience qualia-- scientifically, I mean, since you're all about this "science of mind"?