Self-Sacrifice - Page 5

Og · 07-10-2007, 09:40 AM

Here's what will definitively prove or disprove the existence of the soul. A complete simulation, macromolecule for macromolecule, and cell for cell of the human body in a very powerful computer. Then you see if this produces a human being that behaves and experiences and exists like you and I do. Robots that are alive, basically.

I continue to contend that soul makes no sense. A small tumor or lesion on a certain gland in the brain can completely change an individual's behavior. A certain brain drug given to psychotics can completely change their perspective. When people have thoughts and experience, specific parts of their brain are active. When the corpus collosum (conduit between hemispheres) is cut to prevent grand mal seizures in epileptics, two distinct personalities arise with characteristics associated with the known functions of the hemispheres.

You are a neural machine. ALL of the evidence points to the material of the brain being what produces experience. Modification of the material modifies all of experience, consciousness, and perception. There is no constant untangible measureable of consciousness that is constant through all these empirical measurements of conscious states.

The notion of soul is unsupported. The notion of brain state = conscious states is strongly supported. If you want better than that, you're an idiot. True faith is based around following the evidence wherever it takes you even when you're not sure where it's going to take you. Wishful thinking based on your nightmare is not useful. Soul is a null word.

sisterX · 07-10-2007, 06:06 PM

And cutting my head off will also influence my behaviour. The
brain is a physial mass, distorting it will affect its function. How is that evidence against a non-material soul?

lauraclay · 07-10-2007, 06:08 PM

Is your soul in your brain?

sisterX · 07-10-2007, 06:09 PM

Jaej why is God improbable, because you dont see Him? You've never seen the spontaneus formation of an amino acid, there is no evidence that it happened, natural laws say it CANT happen, but you still think that is probable right? Now that is what I call strong faith.

Og · 07-10-2007, 06:11 PM

You continue to present these lies sisterX and you are utterly unqualified to talk on such topics.

sisterX · 07-10-2007, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraclay

Is your soul in your brain?

Laura I am more comfortable with mind-body dualism, but Og would say yes, your brain is you, there is no other you, ie no soul.

Og · 07-10-2007, 06:12 PM

So what happens when the corpus collosum is cut and two distinct personalities arise? Did an extra soul notice that this event had occured and jumped into the head?

Holding onto dualism is a remnant of an ignorant past. Brain states = conscious states. This is fact.

sisterX · 07-10-2007, 06:14 PM

What lies? Where did I lie? Can you please tell me!

sisterX · 07-10-2007, 06:17 PM

Quote:

So what happens when the corpus collosum is cut and two distinct personalities arise? Did an extra soul notice that this event had occured and jumped into the head?

Holding onto dualism is a remnant of an ignorant past. Brain states = conscious states. This is fact.

How is this different to your previous examples?

Og · 07-10-2007, 06:21 PM

Quote:

You've never seen the spontaneus formation of an amino acid, there is no evidence that it happened, natural laws say it CANT happen, but you still think that is probable right?

You're right. This isn't a lie. I just misinterpreted it, I appologize. I concur that spontaneous formation of amino acids is impossible given the second law of thermodynamics in a closed system with no energy input or internal energy transfer.

But this situation has absolutely nothing to do with early earth.