1... how can we reduce the mind to matter when we know the mind directly and matter through it?
With careful, intelligent, honest research. You appear not to read eg
SciAm Mind or
Science Daily to find out what's actually being learnt. If that's correct, why do you choose to leave yourself in the dark? If it's not, what's your criticism of that research?
Can we trust our senses that there's a physical world out there?[/i]
It's one of those questions that can only be answered after you've assumed the answer. My assumptions are that a world exists external to the self and that our senses are capable of informing us about it.
If you didn't share those assumptions, you wouldn't be posting here.
Is there really no other valid possibility in the world?
Materialism has become the dominant paradigm not least because of a lack of alternatives reasoned from good evidence.
Skepticism is about doubt whereas materialism is a position of certainty. There's very little questioning of it and that questioning is dogmatically brushed off rather than addressed. With the increasing popularity of materialism this is very dangerous.
I strongly disagree with this. Materialism is the end product of skeptical and reasoned enquiry, and it is constantly confirmed as research continues.
In the course of examining nature, science comes across problems all the time ─ the expressions 'dark matter' and 'dark energy' refer to problems, not answers, for example. These require an open mind to solve, in the formation and testing of hypotheses that might shed light.
What procedures alternative to (skeptical, rational, honest, evidence-based) science would you like to see used in these enquiries?
Or in any other area of reasoned enquiry?
2. Neglect of the mind and its role in health and happiness is dangerous.
My late wife was head of her department in a major hospital (and a member of the brain injury team) 1993-2006 and she is my authority for telling you that the wellbeing of the patient ALWAYS includes mental wellbeing.
3. The rejection of all immaterial things completely destroys concepts such as math and logic.
WHAT immaterial things?
In materialism these things must be mind dependent, where they exist as concepts, at least according to materialism. But the idea that things like math and logic, which lead us to objective truth and intelligent thought, are mind dependent is extremely dangerous.
I don't think it's dangerous at all. Rather it's the road by which we find out more and more about the brain and its functions. But even were it dangerous, your problem is that on all the available evidence and with great consistency, it's true.
It basically allows for whatever one wants to be true to be treated as true, because logical and mathematical truths are more or less subjective and fabricated.
In maths we can imagine eg n-spaces, and many other 'mathematical objects' which as far as we know are never found in reality. So what? They're still useful.
And what's an example of a 'logical and mathematical truth' which is more or less subjective and fabricated? I'm interested to know what you actually mean here.
Any group that teaches things like logic to be relative
Eh? Quoi? ¿Che? What's an example of 'relative logic'?
An ignorant community is one ripe for the plucking!
If you mean that a solid grounding in both the arts and the sciences should be a good part of any education, no argument from me.
4. Life-Fields are another thing rejected by materialists.
I've never heard of them. What are they? Can you refer me to articles in reputable journals of science that explain them?
5. Materialism greatly implies a belief in hard predeterminism,
Pretty much, though not hard determinism since we think quantum randomness is genuinely random and uncaused and can itself be a cause.
Of course, those who believe in an omnipotent omniscient god have already embraced determinism, since they can never depart even by the width of an atom from what that god knew, well before they were born, they were going to do, think, say.
And perhaps you can tell me what you replace determinism with? How does a brain ─ or just this once, a mind, if you prefer ─ reach decisions other than by the processes built into it of whose functions the (conscious) mind is not aware? If you say that's not the result of chains of cause and effect (and, perhaps, quantum randomness), what is it the result of?
Why would we go to a doctor or see a counselor if nothing we do can actually change anything?
Wow! You
seriously misunderstand both brain function and determinism.
materialism ,,, 's led to a death of doubt and questioning
Not so.
it is forced to push a view of logic and mathematics (which sciences like physics rely on) as mind dependent and therefore not objective or real
They're the product of our brain functions, and our brain functions are physical. Can't get more real than that.
.. it ignores hard science that can benefit humanity simply so that it's authority as leading philosophy cannot be questioned
What 'hard science that can benefit humanity' are you referring to? Life-fields? As 'hard science' they'll be in the reputable journals, then, surely?
it leads to a point of nihilism where we may as well wallow in our problems because nothing can stand up to the flow of the material world.
The material world instead of what, exactly?