(January 25, 2015 at 3:19 pm)rasetsu Wrote:I kudoed ChadWooters though I do not necessarily agree on all points, but I thought it was a good overall picture of a viable philosophical hypothesis.(January 25, 2015 at 1:10 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: The simplistic belief that the mind is identical to the brain is woefully incomplete. Explaining the relationship between signs and their significance requires more kinds of cause than reductionism allows. At least formal and final causes provides a more complete model for that relationship.This is an abstract philosophical argument which depends on a certain theory of causes, which, even if true, is far from obvious. This is simply insufficient and seems to put you in the position of claiming to know the kinds of causes which meaning and intentionality require. I'll admit that I don't fully understand how meaning arises from brain matter, but substituting some philosophical just-so story in its place is inadequate. You'll need to be more explicit on this point before I'll bite.
And I do not necessarily disagree with all you said, however ChadWooters has set up a good dialog for examination as one would need to start somewhere, so albeit there is no proof, there is no disproof either.
As each thought is preceded by a chemical reaction, the awareness we have is of what happened 500ms ago. We have no awareness of the now. That would suggest the awareness is just the nature of the brain reactions and does not fall into the matter or energy category.
You make people miserable and there's nothing they can do about it, just like god.
-- Homer Simpson
God has no place within these walls, just as facts have no place within organized religion.
-- Superintendent Chalmers
Science is like a blabbermouth who ruins a movie by telling you how it ends. There are some things we don't want to know. Important things.
-- Ned Flanders
Once something's been approved by the government, it's no longer immoral.
-- The Rev Lovejoy
-- Homer Simpson
God has no place within these walls, just as facts have no place within organized religion.
-- Superintendent Chalmers
Science is like a blabbermouth who ruins a movie by telling you how it ends. There are some things we don't want to know. Important things.
-- Ned Flanders
Once something's been approved by the government, it's no longer immoral.
-- The Rev Lovejoy
