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Can traditional philosophy help us understand mind vs. brain?

#1
C C Offline
https://mindmatters.ai/2021/07/can-tradi...-vs-brain/

EXCERPTS: Yesterday, we published the fourth portion of the debate between materialist philosopher David Papineau and neurosurgeon Michael Egnor, where the key issue was “Is the mind simply what the brain does?” Today, we look at the portion which starts roughly at 36 min where Papineau and Egnor start to talk about traditional philosophical ways of thinking about the soul and the body (partial transcript)... (MORE - the partial transcript)

[continued] Note: Dr. Papineau is a “physicalist.” On that view, “the mind is a purely physical construct, and will eventually be explained entirely by physical theory, as it continues to evolve.” (Philosophy basics) He is considered to be one of the best defenders of naturalism (nature is all there is), often called “materialism.”

[...] You may also wish to read the earlier portions of the debate:

Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor takes on philosopher David Papineau Round 1. In the debate, Egnor begins by offering three fundamental reasons why the mind is not the brain. Neuroscience caused Egnor to honestly doubt Papineau’s materialist perspective that the mind is simply what the brain does.

Round 2: Philosopher Papineau replies to neurosurgeon Egnor. Dr. Papineau is considered to be one of the best defenders of naturalism (nature is all there is), often called “materialism.” Papineau: Mental processes, including conscious processes, are one in the same as physical processes. I’m curious about how Michael Egnor would answer it.

Round 3: Egnor vs Papineau: The Big Bang has no natural beginning. In the debate between theistic neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and naturalist philosopher David Papineau, the question gets round to the origin of the universe itself. Egnor maintains that the Big Bang, which is held to have created the universe, is an effect with no physical cause. Papineau agrees.

Round 4: Egnor vs. Papineau Egnor defends the mind vs. the brain. Philosopher David Papineau does not feel that neurosurgeon Michael Egnor is being “entirely helpful” at this point… It became quite the dustup actually. Egnor deals with the brain as an organ, not a theory, and doesn’t see it as equivalent to the mind. Papineau differs.

Also: Philosopher: Consciousness Is Not a Problem. Dualism Is! He says that consciousness is just “brain processes that feel like something” Physicalist David Papineau argues that consciousness “seems mysterious not because of any hidden essence, but only because we think about it in a special way.” In short, it’s all in our heads. But wait, say others, the hard problem of consciousness is not so easily dismissed.

The complete debate?

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ydqBHAWSy9I
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#2
Syne Offline
(Jul 9, 2021 06:06 PM)C C Wrote: Note: Dr. Papineau is a “physicalist.” On that view, “the mind is a purely physical construct, and will eventually be explained entirely by physical theory, as it continues to evolve.”
And it's that "eventually" which shows that position is nothing more than scientism. Those devoted to such never seem to see that their claim that "the mind is a purely physical construct" is wholly dependent upon their faith in what science may, one day explain. It's just a science-of-the-gaps claim, which they'll ignorantly make while hypocritically criticizing a straw man god-of-the-gaps.

And a materialist philosopher trying to argue against a neuroscientist's actual working experience would only seem to highlight that scientism is often antithetical to actual science.
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#3
Ostronomos Offline
(Jul 9, 2021 09:50 PM)Syne Wrote:
(Jul 9, 2021 06:06 PM)C C Wrote: Note: Dr. Papineau is a “physicalist.” On that view, “the mind is a purely physical construct, and will eventually be explained entirely by physical theory, as it continues to evolve.”
And it's that "eventually" which shows that position is nothing more than scientism. Those devoted to such never seem to see that their claim that "the mind is a purely physical construct" is wholly dependent upon their faith in what science may, one day explain. It's just a science-of-the-gaps claim, which they'll ignorantly make while hypocritically criticizing a straw man god-of-the-gaps.

And a materialist philosopher trying to argue against a neuroscientist's actual working experience would only seem to highlight that scientism is often antithetical to actual science.

God-of-the-Gaps is necessary to propose in any explanation of mind as no naturalist philosophy can possibly explain the Quantum mechanics of mind. Quantum mechanics has no natural explanation. The idea that mind is physical seems to assume that consciousness has an end. A God would need to be posited in order to discover the science of tomorrow.
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#4
Syne Offline
^ Druggie's not even smart enough to recognize the obvious weakness of a god-of-the-gaps argument. What a moron.
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#5
Zinjanthropos Offline
(Jul 13, 2021 08:52 PM)Syne Wrote: ^ Druggie's not even smart enough to recognize the obvious weakness of a god-of-the-gaps argument. What a moron.

Want to see God? Just get yourself wasted.  

That’s no gap, that’s a chasm. Talk about a leap of faith. There must be a god, otherwise why are there so many mind altering drugs around? Doesn’t happen by accident Smile
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#6
Syne Offline
Don't get me wrong, I believe there's a god. I just possess the minimum intelligence to know that positing god in the gaps is not in any way compelling, and if anything, it diminishes the notion of a god...to one that can be edged out by our understanding of facts. That wouldn't be much of a god.
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#7
Ostronomos Offline
YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES DON'T KNOW SHIT! GOD-OF-THE-GAPS IS BOTH PLAUSIBLE AND LEADS TO REVOLUTIONARY BREAKTHROUGHS!!! THAT IS HOW METAPHYSICS GOT ITS START.
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#8
Syne Offline
^ And there's the exact hissy fit I've been expecting. You know, no actual argument or reason...just bare assertions, with the requisite screaming and cussing because that's all he can resort to.
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