RE: The Covert Messiah (Full Version)

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tweakabelle -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/28/2013 10:52:41 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: GotSteel

I really don't want to have a discussion on anti-science propaganda because it's in my opinion the most dishonest swill to have come out of the creationist movement.

I mean pretending that Einstein was a proponent of team irrational is ridiculous and something which he found offensive.
[..snip ..]
So like I said I'm willing to accept the premise that knowledge will always be incomplete for the sake of your argument. Can you make a case that rational still isn't the way to go from there?

Sorry but I have no idea how you describe my position as "anti-science" or why you've attempted to link it to infantile goobledegook like creationism. The claims I advanced are not in least bit controversial, they are a statement of limits of science's potential. Nothing more.

Furthermore, as any good scientist will confirm, there's nothing any one can do about these limits - they exist, they are there and there's no rational way beyond them. What use is rationality when exploring/investigating/speculating on the other side of a singularity? The other side of a singularity is, by definition, a space where the known rules of our universe do NOT apply.

Properly speaking, the questions under consideration here are philosophical, not scientific. While scientific knowledge is a useful tool in investigating such issues, it is no more than a tool with, as we have seen, limited application.

Perhaps the error is insisting that the only possible way to answer philosophical questions is through scientific investigation. I am unaware of any scientist of note who would make this claim. After all, such dogmatism is antithesis of proper science.




tweakabelle -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/28/2013 11:51:26 PM)


quote:

quote:

quote:

These findings do seem to present adverse implications for the claim that consciousness is purely a function of the (human) brain, or the more interesting view that it is an ‘emerging property’ of complex brains. It does seem to imply that the key to understanding consciousness may lie, at least in part, outside the (human) brain.


My bias is that consciousness is an emergent property of the brain (human and other vertebrates) for the simple reason that when the brain is damaged consciousness is damaged. Really, I do not see the justification for either of the two implications you drew above. I would be happy to have you sort that for me.


I must apologise for some sloppy editing that made it seem that the findings I was referring to were those of the report on neurobiology, when I was referring to your statement that consciousness/awareness wasn't a human specific phenomenon.

An intriguing line of speculation emerges here. As I understand it, among the properties of the Higgs boson are that it is said to impart materiality to other particles, giving them substance, after which it promptly disappears. Could it be that a some kind of parallel phenomenon exists with consciousness? That some energy or force, as yet unidentified, imparts consciousness when other material factors are arranged in the requisite pattern?

Some Indian sages, who have been contemplating these issues for millenia, propose a (rather romantic) metaphor for this as like the action of light upon a candle flame - the flame is not composed of light, yet the flame 'materialises' as light passes through it instantaneously. Without the intervention of the light, the flame would be forever invisible.




DomKen -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 5:24:59 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle


quote:

quote:

quote:

These findings do seem to present adverse implications for the claim that consciousness is purely a function of the (human) brain, or the more interesting view that it is an ‘emerging property’ of complex brains. It does seem to imply that the key to understanding consciousness may lie, at least in part, outside the (human) brain.


My bias is that consciousness is an emergent property of the brain (human and other vertebrates) for the simple reason that when the brain is damaged consciousness is damaged. Really, I do not see the justification for either of the two implications you drew above. I would be happy to have you sort that for me.


I must apologise for some sloppy editing that made it seem that the findings I was referring to were those of the report on neurobiology, when I was referring to your statement that consciousness/awareness wasn't a human specific phenomenon.

An intriguing line of speculation emerges here. As I understand it, among the properties of the Higgs boson are that it is said to impart materiality to other particles, giving them substance, after which it promptly disappears. Could it be that a some kind of parallel phenomenon exists with consciousness? That some energy or force, as yet unidentified, imparts consciousness when other material factors are arranged in the requisite pattern?

Some Indian sages, who have been contemplating these issues for millenia, propose a (rather romantic) metaphor for this as like the action of light upon a candle flame - the flame is not composed of light, yet the flame 'materialises' as light passes through it instantaneously. Without the intervention of the light, the flame would be forever invisible.

And you wonder why your beliefs are compared to "infantile goobledegook like creationism"?




tweakabelle -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 6:09:32 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen


quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle


quote:

quote:

quote:

These findings do seem to present adverse implications for the claim that consciousness is purely a function of the (human) brain, or the more interesting view that it is an ‘emerging property’ of complex brains. It does seem to imply that the key to understanding consciousness may lie, at least in part, outside the (human) brain.


My bias is that consciousness is an emergent property of the brain (human and other vertebrates) for the simple reason that when the brain is damaged consciousness is damaged. Really, I do not see the justification for either of the two implications you drew above. I would be happy to have you sort that for me.


I must apologise for some sloppy editing that made it seem that the findings I was referring to were those of the report on neurobiology, when I was referring to your statement that consciousness/awareness wasn't a human specific phenomenon.

An intriguing line of speculation emerges here. As I understand it, among the properties of the Higgs boson are that it is said to impart materiality to other particles, giving them substance, after which it promptly disappears. Could it be that a some kind of parallel phenomenon exists with consciousness? That some energy or force, as yet unidentified, imparts consciousness when other material factors are arranged in the requisite pattern?

Some Indian sages, who have been contemplating these issues for millenia, propose a (rather romantic) metaphor for this as like the action of light upon a candle flame - the flame is not composed of light, yet the flame 'materialises' as light passes through it instantaneously. Without the intervention of the light, the flame would be forever invisible.

And you wonder why your beliefs are compared to "infantile goobledegook like creationism"?


As I haven't stated any beliefs of mine in the above, apart from listing some universally accepted limits on scientific knowledge, my complaint seems a bit more legitimate than it was prior to your unwanted, superfluous and inane intervention. Mind you, I am making the possibly rash judgement that you understand the sentence: " An intriguing line of speculation emerges here". Your post gives no indication you do.

Please rest assured I'm totally uninterested in anything you have to say on any topic and have no wish to receive any communication from you unless it is to apologise for your past repulsive utterly unfounded abuse.




vincentML -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 12:03:52 PM)

quote:

If I remember correctly, he defines "clinical" (but not unrecoverable) death as a state of total unresponsiveness caused by insufficient blood supply to the brain culminating in isoelectric EEG and absence of brain-stem reflexes.

van Lommel presents no records of EEGs in the patients his team studied. He relies on other studies for his definition. Furthermore, EEGs are not reliable predictors of the absence of brain activity as fMRI, PET, or catSCAN. (my post #349)

quote:

The neurological data linking consciousness to the brain is entirely correlational. Nobody disputes that consciousness and the brain are normally tightly coupled. But that doesn't prove either "causes" the other. In fact, at this point the relationship is known to be interactional with agency on both sides of the equation. And, there is an accumulating body of evidence that in extreme circumstances consciousness can function with accurate perception independently of the physical brain and sense organs (see here).

Agency on both sides of the equation? What does that mean? What agency is present outside the brain?

I skimmed the article you referenced and I saw nothing of consciousness without the brain except all the "out of brain" theorizing. But a great deal of in-brain theorizing was also presented.

As for the blind "seeing" during NDE here is Dr Oliver Sachs in a TED talk discussing Charles Bonnet Syndrome hallucinations in visually impaired patients. Admittedly, no indication that his patients were blind from birth. But the 31 blind patients presented in your link mentions only that "some were congenitally blind." Would need more information on those, I think.




vincentML -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 12:05:57 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata


quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML

But as the article concludes, it is a long way from plant electrical potentials to a plant brain or consciousness. More metaphor than reality.

I find it interesting that you dismiss any connection between electrical activity and consciousness in plants as "more metaphor than reality," while in humans you cite it as solid evidence that consciousness arises from such activity.

K.


No, I said it is a long way to plant BRAIN or consciousness.




Kirata -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 12:10:43 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML
quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata
quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML

But as the article concludes, it is a long way from plant electrical potentials to a plant brain or consciousness. More metaphor than reality.

I find it interesting that you dismiss any connection between electrical activity and consciousness in plants as "more metaphor than reality," while in humans you cite it as solid evidence that consciousness arises from such activity.

No, I said it is a long way to plant BRAIN or consciousness.

Then I'm not clear on this. Are you saying that a brain, specifically, is necessary for there to be any kind of consciousness?

K.




Kirata -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 12:19:23 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML

Agency on both sides of the equation? What does that mean? What agency is present outside the brain?

The relationship between consciousness and the brain is interactional. Each can affect the other.

I'm not sure if you're disputing that?

K.






vincentML -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 12:21:18 PM)

quote:

An intriguing line of speculation emerges here. As I understand it, among the properties of the Higgs boson are that it is said to impart materiality to other particles, giving them substance, after which it promptly disappears. Could it be that a some kind of parallel phenomenon exists with consciousness? That some energy or force, as yet unidentified, imparts consciousness when other material factors are arranged in the requisite pattern?

It is an intriguing concept and it allows me to introduce a lecture given at the University of Melbourne wherein is demonstrated the temporary appearance and disappearance of collaborative neural networks in the brain during conscious activities.

quote:

Some Indian sages, who have been contemplating these issues for millenia, propose a (rather romantic) metaphor for this as like the action of light upon a candle flame - the flame is not composed of light, yet the flame 'materialises' as light passes through it instantaneously. Without the intervention of the light, the flame would be forever invisible.

Interesting metaphor but not acceptable science where we know the flame is an incandescent gas whose colour is dependent on the substance burning.




vincentML -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 12:24:43 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata


quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML

Agency on both sides of the equation? What does that mean? What agency is present outside the brain?

The relationship between consciousness and the brain is interactional. Each can affect the other.

I'm not sure if you're disputing that?

K.

I am questioning that consciousness has agency outside the brain. Isn't that the issue here? Seems redundant for you to take the issue as part of your argument.




Kirata -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 12:34:04 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML
quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata
quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML

Agency on both sides of the equation? What does that mean? What agency is present outside the brain?

The relationship between consciousness and the brain is interactional. Each can affect the other.

I'm not sure if you're disputing that?

I am questioning that consciousness has agency outside the brain. Isn't that the issue here? Seems redundant for you to take the issue as part of your argument.

Well the comment you responded to asserted that the relationship between consciousness and the brain is interactional, with agency on both sides. I don't know what you mean by "outside the brain" in that context. Where does the 'inside/outside' question arise in this?

Edited to add: On reflection, "agency" is probably the wrong word. What I mean to be saying, or at least closer to it, is that the arrow of cause and effect can point in both directions.

K.




Yachtie -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 12:44:44 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata


quote:

ORIGINAL: GotSteel
quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen
quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata

<more evasion deleted>

[...]

Thank you for not quoting.

You aren't going to get an intellectually honest conversation, I tried for quite some time.

Please for the love of Dog just hit the hide button so that yet another thread doesn't get derailed under a pile of bullshit.

Even since you put me on Hide, I've noticed you enjoying the pleasure of taking a swing at me when you happen to see my name in a post, secure in the knowledge that you've tied my hands so I can't hit back. But I understand, that's just what you are. And I want you to know that I don't hold it against you that your pussified guts lack any evidence of vertebrate descent.

Would someone please quote this so he sees it?

K.




Done. [:D]




DomKen -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 5:15:24 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle

quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen


quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle


quote:

quote:

quote:

These findings do seem to present adverse implications for the claim that consciousness is purely a function of the (human) brain, or the more interesting view that it is an ‘emerging property’ of complex brains. It does seem to imply that the key to understanding consciousness may lie, at least in part, outside the (human) brain.


My bias is that consciousness is an emergent property of the brain (human and other vertebrates) for the simple reason that when the brain is damaged consciousness is damaged. Really, I do not see the justification for either of the two implications you drew above. I would be happy to have you sort that for me.


I must apologise for some sloppy editing that made it seem that the findings I was referring to were those of the report on neurobiology, when I was referring to your statement that consciousness/awareness wasn't a human specific phenomenon.

An intriguing line of speculation emerges here. As I understand it, among the properties of the Higgs boson are that it is said to impart materiality to other particles, giving them substance, after which it promptly disappears. Could it be that a some kind of parallel phenomenon exists with consciousness? That some energy or force, as yet unidentified, imparts consciousness when other material factors are arranged in the requisite pattern?

Some Indian sages, who have been contemplating these issues for millenia, propose a (rather romantic) metaphor for this as like the action of light upon a candle flame - the flame is not composed of light, yet the flame 'materialises' as light passes through it instantaneously. Without the intervention of the light, the flame would be forever invisible.

And you wonder why your beliefs are compared to "infantile goobledegook like creationism"?


As I haven't stated any beliefs of mine in the above, apart from listing some universally accepted limits on scientific knowledge, my complaint seems a bit more legitimate than it was prior to your unwanted, superfluous and inane intervention. Mind you, I am making the possibly rash judgement that you understand the sentence: " An intriguing line of speculation emerges here". Your post gives no indication you do.

Please rest assured I'm totally uninterested in anything you have to say on any topic and have no wish to receive any communication from you unless it is to apologise for your past repulsive utterly unfounded abuse.

You didn't write the "infantile goobledegook" bolded above? Who did then?




tweakabelle -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 5:26:24 PM)

Which part of:

quote:

Please rest assured I'm totally uninterested in anything you have to say on any topic and have no wish to receive any communication from you unless it is to apologise for your past repulsive utterly unfounded abuse.


is beyond your comprehension?




DomKen -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 5:29:17 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle

Which part of:

quote:

Please rest assured I'm totally uninterested in anything you have to say on any topic and have no wish to receive any communication from you unless it is to apologise for your past repulsive utterly unfounded abuse.


is beyond your comprehension?


I've abused you? How? By telling you what I thought of you? Have you not then abused me by actually telling lies about me?

If you can't deal with people calling you on your bullshit you need to get off the net.




Kirata -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 5:42:36 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen
quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle
quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen

And you wonder why your beliefs are compared to "infantile goobledegook like creationism"?

I haven't stated any beliefs...

You didn't write the "infantile goobledegook" bolded above? Who did then?

Focus on the words in the pretty color.

K.




tweakabelle -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 6:03:56 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML

quote:

An intriguing line of speculation emerges here. As I understand it, among the properties of the Higgs boson are that it is said to impart materiality to other particles, giving them substance, after which it promptly disappears. Could it be that a some kind of parallel phenomenon exists with consciousness? That some energy or force, as yet unidentified, imparts consciousness when other material factors are arranged in the requisite pattern?

It is an intriguing concept and it allows me to introduce a lecture given at the University of Melbourne wherein is demonstrated the temporary appearance and disappearance of collaborative neural networks in the brain during conscious activities.



The idea that the action of a single tiny particle is responsible for generating mass in all the particles around it, and then disappearing is counter intuitive to say the least. Yet it was proposed, and generally accepted as part of our understanding of the quantam world for over half a century until its existence was demonstrated recently.

The notion that consciousness may depend, at least partially, on an external force or energy doesn't strike me as any more far fetched. Especially when we recall that a complete explanation of consciousness will be impossible as long as we remain entirely in the realm of the physical.




NoBimbosAllowed -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 6:06:36 PM)

and it's about 5 minutes before truckinslave gets here and then it'll be a REAL party!


HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR!

Hey, it's fun to see 2 partisans go after each other, but don't feel bad, Dom Ken, on the refusal to accept 'what's good for the goose is good for the gander', since that is par for the course with all the pol-correct folks who like to throw stones at folks and then complain when someone tosses a mere pebble back.

It's also the false-feminist behaviour and pseudo humanist-claptrap that got the first Aussie Prime Minister sacked, according to REAL Australian feminists, and politcal forces for good.




TigressLily -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 8:38:25 PM)


(There you go, K, for DK's benefit.)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata

quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen
quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle
quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen

And you wonder why your beliefs are compared to "infantile goobledegook like creationism"?

I haven't stated any beliefs...

You didn't write the "infantile goobledegook" bolded above? Who did then?

Focus on the words in the pretty color.

K.

Does anyone have any follow-up info on that Oct. 19th Symposium?




GotSteel -> RE: The Covert Messiah (10/29/2013 9:11:21 PM)


quote:


Especially when we recall that a complete explanation of consciousness will be impossible as long as we remain entirely in the realm of the physical.


No, we don't recall that.




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