Philosophy Now Forum

Well, that's awfully selfish of you. I don't have time to learn German.

Kaufman thought that overman allowed a better translation of the interplay between that word and the frequent allusions and references to 'over' and 'under' in other parts of sentences and paragraphs. All those references would be lost when using 'Super,' which has nothing to do with 'over' or 'unde...

Puppies.

I experienced the same frustration recently when I decided to read Chalmers' 'The Character of Consciousness' recently. As I read the first few chapters, I kept feeling that he was assuming everything about 'consciousness' which he was obviously trying to argue for. Finally, a few chapters in, he sa...

I accept that all mental activity is directly related to corresponding brain activity, however, the semantic content of our intentional thoughts cannot be deciphered by monitoring brain waves, etc. alone. By 'semantic content' of thoughts, I can only assume you mean 'meanings.' By 'intentional', I ...

'There exist quantum algorithms, such as Simon's algorithm, which run faster than any possible probabilistic classical algorithm.[8] Given sufficient computational resources, however, a classical computer could be made to simulate any quantum algorithm; quantum computation does not violate the Churc...

I was actually asking non-rhetorical questions. I can at least imagine that a system of computers (which I have read is the model neurologists tend to use to describe the brain) which feed into one another could program each other according to some principle, thereby re-interpreting the incoming sti...

Gingko on protozoa- Rather than having "awareness" I think that it has knowledge and uses this knowledge to access information. Unfortunately, this hypothesis is not testable. and colinbyrne - even bacteria have a quorum-sensing function (send out chemicals in their environment that, when ...

I'd like to address one part of gingko's response, as the subject is too broad to discuss all the points raised in one post. The problem is that no matter how much scientific examination of the brain we want to carry out we will never see anything inside the skull than resembles a yellow triangle. a...

I would like to discuss the 'problem' of consciousness, if anyone would like to participate. I am one of those who don't see a problem. For instance, if there is a problem of consciousness, why is there not a problem of 'seeing?' We accept that our eyes receive light waves or photons and convert the...

Well, yes you said it had to be grounded on religion. But, so your argument goes, grounded on religion for pragmatic purposes, because most people will not think for themselves, and some kind of sedative opiate is required to comfort them and keep them quiet. Regardless that I don't buy this, you'r...

It haven't maintained that someone or something else 'has to to tell us' how to act. I have maintained, on pragmatic grounds, that a large portion of humankind ought to be told how to act, or the consequences would be bad. I guess we misunderstood each other and you were giving a counterexample. I t...

Blaggard, the first link didn't work and the second - well I watched as much as I could take, as it appeared to present the view of some 'select' scientists who are at odds with the mainstream. I took that to mean they were on the fringe. They spoke of inheriting environmentally influenced traits fr...

CL: things that I find morally reprehensible, like treating women as inferior beings and a property of men, or killing their religious enemies, and so on. It's more like basic cognitive science. True that Kant's project ultimately deals with cognition, but it has also found its roots in other scienc...

Blaggard, I don't know exactly what you are maintaining. It seems teleological. Dawkins wrote a book called 'The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design.' Mutations are random. Inherited traits become clustered if they provide a substantial survival advantag...