In the ‘decisions’ thread walto made this comment:
‘Hard problem’? Hah! Piece of cake. Everything is instantiated! Well, you know what sorts of things can be instantiated? Look it up.
When I suggested that I’d not be doing that Mung noted:
Translation: don’t bother me with facts.
Which implies to me that there is a verified list of what can and cannot be instantiated in matter (chemicals and the like). I.E. Facts.
This is contrary to what I had originally assumed, hence my reluctance to bother looking it up. So I’ve changed my mind. I am interested in ‘looking it up’. I’m always willing to learn. So the floor is yours Mung, walto.
As this list would no doubt be of interest to many here I thought I’d make it an OP rather then getting lost in the ‘decisions’ thread.
Mung, Walto, where can I read about these facts regarding what can and cannot be instantiated in matter? Why do I have to go look it up? Can’t you just provide the list itself?
And about origins! and… and about evolution! and about whether evolution is about origins! and about the philosophical underpinnings of science! and about methodological naturalism! … and .. and…
(YEC barging in) don’t forget geology!
Neil Rickert,
But is consciousness a bogus concept?
No, not at all.
I tend to think of consciousness in terms of awareness and thinking, which is about how you tend to think of it.
My criticism is of the emphasis on qualia.
phoodoo,
Here’s what you said:
Here’s what you were trying to say:
Yeah, right! They even made a film about that too!
Let’s leave it to the popular press, spin doctors and politicians to tell us what it all means!
Ask OM. I just read threads, join in as the inclination and opportunity arises. I do think “consciousness”, like “soul” and “quale” are linguistic constructs. But, then again, that’s the problem with language.
What makes you think they can’t recall what is happening at the time it is happening keiths? When you are dreaming can you recall what you are dreaming during the dream, or only after you wake up?
maybe you better save the writing for me keiths, and try to understand what you are saying.
So Omagain is talking about qualia here?
Come on Neil.
He talked about the ‘hard problem’. So yes, he is implicitly talking about qualia.
Looks like you are busy reinventing the wheel. But it has already been invented. Consider concepts like physics versus metaphysics, actuality versus potentiality, universal versus particular, abstract versus concrete, material versus immaterial, existent versus non-existent, real, surreal, and unreal. Make relevant distinctions. Hint: The better your metaphysical system, the less synonyms you will find in this bunch.