Religion The God Question - part 2
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Everything we know about the universe tells us that reality consists only of physical things: atoms and their component particles, busily colliding and combining. Neuroscience and the other cognitive scientists will eventually discover the mechanical and physical components of consciousness. Both the how and why. Philosopher David Chalmers claims of course that consciousness is such a difficult problem that it is beyond the reach of neuroscience to solve.
I disagree. At some point there will likely be some new development that leaves us looking like pre-Darwinians arguing about biology. I hope my finite and mortal consciousness will still be operating when they do.
It will be just like in the 17th century, when scholars were convinced that light couldn’t possibly be physical – that it had to be something occult, beyond the usual laws of nature. Or life itself: scientists were once convinced that there had to be some magical spirit – that distinguished living beings from mere machines. But there wasn’t, of course. Light is electromagnetic radiation; life is just the label we give to certain kinds of objects that can grow and reproduce.
Neuroscientists freely admit that they are only in the early stages of a long struggle to discover the mechanical and physical components of consciousness. Let's not forget that the neurosciences include disciplines such as neurophysiology (the functioning of the neurons), neuroanatomy (the anatomical structure of the nervous system), neurology (the clinical effects of pathologies of the nervous system), neuropsychology (the clinical effects of pathologies of the nervous system on cognition and emotions), and neuroendocrinology (the relations between the nervous system and the hormonal system). There are more discoveries being made in these areas all the time.
Maybe it will be neuroscientist Giulio Tononi's theory of Integrated Information Theory (IIT), that will eventually be proven correct. This describes consciousness as information integrated across a highly differentiated system that cannot be reduced to constituent parts. The cerebral cortex has a vast capacity to both integrate and differentiate information, making its architecture optimal for consciousness. But that consciousness is mortal and finite. It ceases to exist when the cerebral cortex (and the entire brain) ceases to function.
So much for 'god'.
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- #3,103
Descartes does indeed have much to answer for.
lets not confuse brain architectural functions with conscious being.
The Greeks use the word 'psyche' as it pertains to our entire being....Not just our thinking selves, but our holistic selves....The central loci of that Being, is referred to as the 'Omphalos' (The navel)....Also the origin of our being from conception.
In other words; Our conscious being & awareness encapsulates our entire body....So our skin, muscles, organs, hair, blood & bones etc are all infused with this life force.
What is the empirical measurable difference between a 'live' body & a dead one?....There is none....What we say is that the conscious-life-force energy has departed that body....Whereupon it begins to rot & decay.
That very life-force itself is beyond measure or understanding....That is why life is ultimately a mystery....That mystery we call God.
Lets drop this absurd & reductionist notion that the essence of our being resides in the thinking self alone, because it doesn't....You are, in effect, shrinking the essence of our being down to cognitive function alone.
A Classical, myopic, scientific faux-pas.
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- #3,104
You have such a poor knowledge of philosophy. This is widely known as Kundalini in Vedic science, written long before greeks or any white people learned how to hold a piece of paper. Look at the Kundalini and the Chakras for example. Atleast give credit to the original people instead of the those who engaged in plagiarism. Also note the serpent archetype in the tree of life in kabbalah? what does that mean? smartarse? these symbols were long invented before greeks came.
Where was god when "my" children were dying of malnutrition,teething,etc for hundreds of thousands of years,before he chose to rear his head in the Mid East
Why there?
Why and why were they important?
Why there?
Why and why were they important?
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- #3,106
There's plenty.
Animal and plant cells normally reproduce and function during the whole period of natural existence, but eventually cellular activity will deteriorate leading to the slowing and eventual ceasing of regular functioning. Death is essentially the final cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. These (such as brain activity) can in fact be measured, such as through Electroencephalography (EEG). Higher order organisms are often considered dead when the electrical activity in their brain ceases, and when that occurs the cessation of all other biological functions will follow. Some biological functions may have already ceased before brain death, but brain death will bring any still functioning biological functions to a conclusion.
Animal and plant cells normally reproduce and function during the whole period of natural existence, but the aging process derives from deterioration of cellular activity. This will also lead to a cessation of biological functions. This can also be measured.
Cells also die, through ceasing to carry out their functions. This occurs through apoptosis or necrosis. (a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue through infection or trauma. In fact decomposition in living tissue (such as gangrene) is a form of necrosis. This is caused by autolysis the breaking down of tissues by the body's own internal chemicals or the breakdown of tissues by bacteria. This can also be measured.
We don't call it 'God'.
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I & many others do....Keep Your scientific & materialistic 'We' to yourself.
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You are not doing philosophy and pantheism any justice with this weak argument. The problem arises because your knowledge starts and ends with greek philosophy. Research on Atman, Prana, Chakras and the archetypes associated with it, which are present both in the earliest religions and also Kabbalah. Science doesnt have to be at war with philosophy, its people like you who make it their life mission to make it so. The archetypes present in the bible are also present in the earliest of religions, miracle birth, flood story, serpent etc etc. Bible just ripped many things off these ancient symbols and made it theirs.
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- #3,111
I don't recognise your philosophical concept as 'god'.
Same as I don't recognise all those other 'gods'.
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- #3,112
in what way?
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This one's 4 u Roylion
Example?
We don't have proof yet of your suggestion
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I would never wear green.
Jeez
I was fairly merry last night
I was fairly merry last night
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Could you have found a shittier version of that image?
Far out. Its the internet, use it!
I fed it through a creationist truth app and that's how it popped out!Could you have found a shittier version of that image?
Far out. Its the internet, use it!
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Do you blame all of your problems on religion?I fed it through a creationist truth app and that's how it popped out!
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