Philosophy Now Forum

Hmm...let me think. We seem to have stated our cases, and now be working over some of the same ground again. Ok, so I can summarize then: The main question is whether experiencing can be predicated onto a physical entity making the concept of the entity not just what is currently defined in science...

Hmm...let me think. We seem to have stated our cases, and now be working over some of the same ground again. Ok, so I can summarize then: The main question is whether experiencing can be predicated onto a physical entity making the concept of the entity not just what is currently defined in science...

Brains are mass-having lumps of tissue that can be experiencing. I'm sorry, but that's just a question-begging claim. We have not shown that, nor have we the means even to indicate it's likely to be true. In fact, the evidence that the meat is nothing by itself is far more compelling. Look more car...

A brain associated with no mind is a lump of meat. Brains are mass-having, lumps of tissue. Brains are mass-having lumps of tissue that can be experiencing. Just saying either what you said or what I said establishes nothing. You have to get to some basis Here is the argument in this post: Manifest...

.... We do not know whether ....... b) the brain causes the mind to exist.... All we can safely say is that both exist. This is false. A mind will be eliminated by destroying your brain or otherwise causing it not to function. A mind can be created by creating a brain as we do now by having sex. Th...

There is no logical connection between a volitional act and any outcome. We were talking about this claim's implications for A.!., earlier. And though it's been a bit since we talked on that, I found this interesting excerpt from Anthony Flew's last book. It contains an imaginary story or parable t...

It seems to me that most of what we say if full of unproven assumptions. The sentence I have just written does not assume anything because of the introduction unit "it seems to me". The second sentence I have just written does not assume anything either, because it is purely analytical. O...

But the question is, What does it mean to say "the bases of our actions are given"? Does it mean that we are programmed by our environments, such that volition is not possible? Or does it mean that the first incentive for us to exercise our volition comes from outside, but our volitions t...

So there must be a logical connection, like perhaps a rational link between action (in the first place, tooth cleaning) and certain particular material conditions (in the second, decay prevention), but not perhaps an absolute necessary causal relationship between material conditions in the first pl...

There is no logical connection between a volitional act and any outcome. That can't be quite true, can it? I mean, we all undertake volitional decisions aimed at particular outcomes, like brushing our teeth so that they don't decay (as quickly). If there were no logical connection between brushing ...

"Free will was given to man by god." This I often hear from theists. I searched the bible and found no support for this from the word of the supposed god. So this is inference? Or did I miss something. Will Guffo or somebody else please tell me where the idea of "free will" emer...

Ok, to focus even more: First you had a question for me: My question would be this: what's your warrant for believing that (a new materialism might succeed)? The primary reason is recent progress in mapping brains and the way neural networks are succeeding in computer science. I do not conflate the...

Ok, to focus even more: First you had a question for me: My question would be this: what's your warrant for believing that (a new materialism might succeed)? The primary reason is recent progress in mapping brains and the way neural networks are succeeding in computer science. I do not conflate the ...

Ok, to focus: 1) You have claimed that: "…materialism its manifestly not adequate to the phenomena it is trying to describe." You have repeatedly straw manned me conflating the distinction between “mere” materialism and a modified materialism that allows experiencing to be predicated on it...

So in this case, (the case of someone with apnea that is anesthetized) consciousness is required (for breathing). And that's interesting. In order to establish that you would have to know whether it is impossible to remove the consciousness and retain the breathing. Since we don’t know the details ...