Philosophy Now Forum

" Calling different hypotheses 'silly' and insisting that images are 'not physical' is neither argument nor valid empirical support." Wyman Yes, I think it is silly to say that when I visualize a triangle what I am seeing is my neurons firing in a triangular form. * So you can see your ne...

"My point is that one can visualize a form and that form is not physical." ME "What would we understand by 'physical'? " Londoner One does not make atoms form into a triangle when one visualizes a triangle. Nor do the neurons fire in a triangular form when one visualizes a trian...

Londoner: I would take the view that a definition relates to language, to communication. I understand what you are referring to, but this isn't about the status of analytic propositions, it is about how we - in the mind-mill - understand and use ideas like 'triangle'. I absolutely agree that we cann...

regardless of position in space (physical or mental) it isn't a triangle until it is interpreted as such... -Imp I may be misinterpreting you here - no pun intended - but what if the image is the interpretation as is sometimes the case? If, as we are doing here, we specifically say 'Visualize a tri...

I was not saying that one can visualize the universal triangle. I was saying that one can visualize a particular triangle. Perhaps, a better example then a 3 sided geometrical object would be a 9 sided geometrical object. I have no idea what a 9 sided object is called but I can still visualize one....

regardless of position in space (physical or mental) it isn't a triangle until it is interpreted as such... -Imp If one has no word for pain, does that mean that one cannot experience pain? not at all... it simply can never be completely communicated... can any man know how it feels to give birth? ...

But whether we create them in the mind-mill or they exist separately from ourselves, the question of their existence does not go away. You are just committing yourself to their existence 'in your head' rather than 'in the sky.' And if you admit that others have the same concepts as you - of a trian...

It is interesting listening to scientifically minded posters advocate a Platonic version of reality. They contradict their core beliefs by advocating that first forms exist and only then can we be aware of them. In other words , we DO NOT first empirically experience ( qualia ) a form ( triangle, o...

It is interesting listening to scientifically minded posters advocate a Platonic version of reality. They contradict their core beliefs by advocating that first forms exist and only then can we be aware of them. In other words , we DO NOT first empirically experience ( qualia ) a form ( triangle, o...

Similarly, I cannot just 'visualize', I have to visualize a something, so before I create the particular vision I already know what it is! I do not first have the vision, then think; 'Oh look! It's a triangle!'. Exactly. That is the way I see it. But most do not see it that way. Perceptions and ima...

raw_thought wrote:Do you believe that when you visualize a triangle you create a physical triangle in your brain? Yes or no?

I already answered that.

"I believe that consciousness (and qualia) are subject to physical explanation." Wyman My question is more specific then that. My question is, " when one visualizes a triangle is a physical triangle created in the brain"? My triangle argument is a more precise version of https:/...

Yes, I know what you believe. Now, show me how the following syllogism is invalid or based on false assumptions. 1. it is possible to visualize a triangle. ( I think that is beyond dispute). 2. Either the triangle is physical or it is not. 3. It is obviously not physical as there is nothing physica...

I never specified the size of the physical triangle in your brain that you hypothesize. So you are saying that when we visualize a triangle we create an actual physical triangle in our brain? Yes, more or less. You are trying to push me to make a scientific hypothesis concerning how consciousness w...

Are you saying that a quon has a triangular shape? I meant gluon, but anyway - why would the triangle need to be composed of one fundamental particle and not a complex of such particles? My point is, you have no better basis for claiming that such 'mental' images are not physical than I have of say...