Brain / Consciousness debate and age (please answer poll for psychological research)

[Thief]

Back to topic then?

 

[Thief]

Debate if you want, but that thread already is going. I'm investigating if Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (or it's sibling) can apply here as well to beliefs. The question is; do you believe that consciousness is caused by the brain or is not (please pick a side) and what age group do you fit into.

I believe the consciousness is contained....for now in the brain.
We all have a sense of locality.

But the brain is not the cause of it ....God is the Cause.

 

[Breathe]

Since both or neither aren't options available, I've gone with "Consciousness has a non-physical cause, I am 21-30 years old".

 

[technomage]

What can you provide as factual, compelling reasons for me to assume that there is an supernatural cause?

Now, Monk, for shame--isn't it rude to answer a question with a question?

Wait ... Did I just ... oops.

More seriously, I do not actually propose that any such phenomenon actually exists. What I did was ask you _if_ such a phenomenon does exist, how would we discover it?

 

[nazz]

How is that not evidence?

It is. Evidence that there is something that exists called consciousness that is non-physical in nature. It's more than just evidence; it's a fact.

 

[nazz]

Subjective knowledge is ... well, depending on your philosophical presuppositions, it is either exceedingly difficult or impossible to gain objectinve knowledge from someone else's subjective experience. I can tell you I saw a vision of dancing pink unicorns, but without more substantial evidence to my claim, you would not be at all unjustified in wondering if my "dancing pink unicorns" may have come out of a bottle.

Welcome to the problem of other minds. But are you not sure your own exists?

 

[technomage]

Welcome to the problem of other minds. But are you not sure your own exists?

No! More precisely, I do not know if my mind is (a) the presence of a non-physical "soul" interacting with the matter of by brain, (b) a natural product of the material of my brain with no outside influence, (c) some combination of a and b, or (d) something else entirely.

 

[idav]

It is. Evidence that there is something that exists called consciousness that is non-physical in nature. It's more than just evidence; it's a fact.

If by non-physical you mean outside the realm of physics then no. Thats why I hesitate to use terms like non-physical and non-material cause it doesnt mean anything. Like calling spirit nothing.

 

[nazz]

No! More precisely, I do not know if my mind is (a) the presence of a non-physical "soul" interacting with the matter of by brain, (b) a natural product of the material of my brain with no outside influence, (c) some combination of a and b, or (d) something else entirely.

Well if you are not conscious I wouldn't sweat it. You won't know anything anyway

I did not ask you if you knew where your consciousness came from. I asked you if you were sure if you were in fact conscious.

 

[nazz]

If by non-physical you mean outside the realm of physics then no. Thats why I hesitate to use terms like non-physical and non-material cause it doesnt mean anything. Like calling spirit nothing.

Well give me a jingle if physicists ever discover any consciousness out there

 

[technomage]

Well if you are not conscious I wouldn't sweat it. You won't know anything anyway

Know anything? Heck, Nazz, most days I don't even _suspect_ anything.

I did not ask you if you knew where your consciousness came from. I asked you if you were sure if you were in fact conscious.

Since I do not have a good definition for "conscious," in part because I do not know where it comes from, my answer remains the same. If we can find out what consciousness is, then I'll be able to answer that question.

 

[nazz]

Know anything? Heck, Nazz, most days I don't even _suspect_ anything.

Since I do not have a good definition for "conscious," in part because I do not know where it comes from, my answer remains the same. If we can find out what consciousness is, then I'll be able to answer that question.

Then let me rephrase. Do you think you ever experience anything?

 

[technomage]

Then let me rephrase. Do you think you ever experience anything?

Of course ... but then, so do my pets. Are they conscious?

I have a woodpecker outside who's really working a pecan tree in my yard over. I mean he's having a high old time! Is the woodpecker conscious? How about the tree?

Where does consciousness start? Where does it stop? Because we do not have a good definition of consciousness, we cannot answer these questions.

 

[nazz]

Of course ... but then, so do my pets. Are they conscious?

I see no reason to assume not. They certainly act as if they are conscious. And really that's about the only thing we can go by in trying to determine if something else is conscious or not.

 

[idav]

Well give me a jingle if physicists ever discover any consciousness out there

You have to talk to biologists, there are tons of species that exhibit it.

 

[nazz]

You have to talk to biologists, there are tons of species that exhibit it.

 

[1137]

Someone had to be first.
Mythical or not.

You could have said .....metaphorical.
Bu that would not explain Man's divergence from the Day Six version.

Something happened....garden style.
I blame God.

SomeTHING

 

[Monk Of Reason]

Now, Monk, for shame--isn't it rude to answer a question with a question?

Wait ... Did I just ... oops.

More seriously, I do not actually propose that any such phenomenon actually exists. What I did was ask you _if_ such a phenomenon does exist, how would we discover it?

That is part of the catch 22 I mentioned earlier. If it can be found by science then it is physical. If it can't then it doesn't have evidence of existing. The idea that metaphysical or supernatural aspects exist at all seems logically conflicting in my personal opinion.

 

[Thief]

SomeTHING

Something with a mind?....a heart (emotion)?.....a spirit?

If not then your spirit is held in substance....and cannot escape.
Into the box...into the ground.....eternal darkness.....
oh well.

 

[BSM1]

Way past 51 and I chose 'non-physical'. However I'm not sure "consciousness" has a cause at all. Maybe consciousness exists as the cause of everything else we experience.
























Way past 51 and I chose 'non-physical'. However I'm not sure consc