Re: Sheldrake (MD economics of want and greed 4)

From: Scott R (jse885@spinn.net)
Date: Fri Sep 05 2003 - 16:33:10 BST

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    Andy,

    > You ask:
    > "So what is the point of insisting on a Darwinist explanation of how
    species
    > evolve?"
    >
    > Andy: Because you haven't given me a very good reason to abandon it.
    Darwinian
    > theory gives a very good explanation of how species evolve. Empirical
    evidence
    > supports it.

    What evidence? I don't know of a single case where one species has been
    observed to come into existence due solely to random genetic mutation and
    natural selection. In fact, I doubt that one could ever determine that: the
    doubter could always say, how do you know there were no other factors
    involved?

    >
    > You seem to be avoiding my question on self-consciousness. Is there a
    reason?

    It seems to me to be more important to recognize that consciousness doesn't
    play by space/time rules, since once this is recognized, the traditional,
    materialist views on language, evolution, self-consciousness, etc. become
    irrelevant.

    But, my view is that language, self-consciousness, and episodic memory are
    all co-dependent. One needs the other two to have any one, so describing one
    in terms of another seems wrong to me.

    > Also, your insinuation that a computer is a PERFECTLY spatio-temporal
    mechanism
    > leading to your analogy with the brain. I think this is slightly off.
    Your
    > insistence of reduction to smallest units leads to some unnecessary
    confusions
    > and needless speculations IMO.

    Strictly speaking, I am saying that a belief that spacetime is prior to
    consciousness is what leads to the necessity to think in terms of smallest
    units, which it turns out to be impossible to reduce consciousness to
    *because* of the belief.

    - Scott

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