HiEv
Active Member
- Oct 1, 2017
- 32
- 53
- 53
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Skeptic
- Marital Status
- Private
This reminds me of the idea that consciousness is an emergent property of the brain, of matter (a nonsensical idea in my opinion).
But consciousness is demonstrably a property of the brain. If you damage a brain, you damage that brain's consciousness. If consciousness came from somewhere other than the brain, then why would damaging the brain affect memories, personality, and even the ability to perceive certain concepts?
For example, there are people who have a stroke, and then suffer hemispatial neglect, basically meaning either the left or right half of their perception ceases to exist as far as they're concerned. Because of this damage to the brain they will, for example, only eat food on the right side of their plate and will only be able to turn around clockwise. They actually find it extremely uncomfortable to see themselves on live TV, because they will see a half of their body that they otherwise don't feel exists. Not only that, but they will only be able to recall the left or right side of past events.
If consciousness isn't a product of the brain, then how would damage to the brain cause effects like this?
Something new can spring out something existing. (I think non-dualist materialists like this idea because they have only worse ideas to choose from.)
No, we like the idea because it's well supported by objective scientific evidence.
So I agree; something has to already exist before you can build things out of them.
In order for that to be true, then everything would have to exist before it existed. That doesn't make any sense to me, but maybe I'm missing something here.
Can you please clarify?
Upvote
0