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Current time: November 14, 2026, 8:39 am
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Consciousness
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 (January 11, 2013 at 7:48 am)jonb Wrote: Typical of a Scandinavian to reduce it all down to sex. Isn't that what life is all about? *confused* When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
 (January 11, 2013 at 2:37 am)Youssef Wrote: It has been driving me crazy. Why am I not a gorilla in the amazon or an old lady's poodle?The simple answer is because 'you' are not independent of your physiology. In fact, 'you' are the qualia of your physical existence. You feel like 'you' because you're busy being 'you'. Sum ergo sum.
Sum ergo sum
 (January 11, 2013 at 2:37 am)Youssef Wrote: It has been driving me crazy. Why am I not a gorilla in the amazon or an old lady's poodle? I don't have anything else to add really... That's silly. If you were any of those things, you wouldn't be you. (January 11, 2013 at 2:37 am)Youssef Wrote: There are infinite ways of proving that God as most major religions define it does not exist, but the fact that I am human makes me much cooler than all the other members of the animal kingdom. Why do I have that advantage? What kind of answer are you looking for here? The chain of causality that led to your current identity can be easily figured out. Your question seems to be looking for some sort of intention or design behind it - in that case you already know the answer you are going to get here.  
I've sometimes wondered where that line is between sentience and stimulus response in some beings? At what point is life so simple as to not be aware of its own existence?
Viruses, technically not even meeting the definition of life in biology, operate enough to seek out cells, infect them and produce copies of themselves. Micro-organisms operate according to stimulus response but are unlikely to be sentient as they have no brains as we know it. Plant life and fungus life also lacks a central nervous system and a brain. What about insects? Are they aware of their own existence? Cats and dogs seem to be able to interact with others and bond socially, which could be an indication they are self-aware. So where's the line drawn?
Atheist Forums Hall of Shame:
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too." ... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept "(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question" ... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist  (January 11, 2013 at 11:22 am)DeistPaladin Wrote: I've sometimes wondered where that line is between sentience and stimulus response in some beings? At what point is life so simple as to not be aware of its own existence?For me, I would set the pole very low. If a thing has a choice, and consistently makes choices which seem to be in its own interests, I would say there is some self-awareness there. 
I'm confused as to what consciousness has to do with being a poodle.
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