(January 18, 2014 at 4:31 pm)EgoRaptor Wrote: That is an easy cop-out. Intelligence & consciousness cannot exist without a physical form.
There essentially two ways of doing this.
1) Eternal/infinite matter/energy exists initially and consciousness is a product of matter/energy fully dependent upon it.
2) Eternal/infinite consciousness exists initially and matter/energy is a product of Eternal/infinite consciousness and is sustained by and interactive with it.
Theism postulates the latter and atheism/naturalism the former. Both are compatible with the physical universe we can observe but neither can be proven or demonstrated to be true by science.
Quote: I doubt that any of this will convince you though, as you are clearly an anti-materialist.
I can't really agree with materialism if it leaves no scope for freedom of will. You have neurons and chemicals, evolutionary instinct environmental stimulus within a physically deterministic system there. So if you decide to believe it you're claiming to be a robot who can't really decide anything therefore you nullified yourself from making a rational choice. There is only one rational choice you're free to make which isn't materialism.
Come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant.