(September 9, 2011 at 2:44 pm)Rhythm Wrote: The impulses and chemical signatures would qualify as material characteristics or physical attributes. Much the same as sound waves qualify as material characteristics or physical attributes of thought as expressed in the spoken word. That certain concepts, or indeed speech itself appear to coincide with activity in specific parts of the brain is again an observation of this process, and qualifies as evidence of of the theory that describes our current understanding of said process.
The issue isn't with observation of electro-chemical activity having a relationship with thought, but the nature of that relationship, which comes first? Does mind create electro-chemical changes or do electro-chemical changes create mind? As we have no way of detecting or observing "mind" how is it possible to determine which comes first? This may seem simplistic but the side on which you choose is a leap of faith. The only way of determining the truth of the matter is to somehow devise an experiment to observe "thought". At present all we can observe is brain activity, it is a leap to equate this with thought.
