Jim

“Emergence” is defined as a property of a whole not present in its parts. So, emergence is an epiphenomenon, like a rainbow or mirror reflection.

Notice that rainbows and mirror reflections are, in a sense, not real and are accounted for in terms of sufficient conditions.  Conditions describable deterministically

In other words, you can explain…[Read more]

Here it is:

(Verse 1)
Yo, it’s the tale of determinism, science in the rhythm,
Where every cause is linked, no room for schism.
The universe, a script, no freestyle decision,
Every action’s locked tight like a prison.

But wait, we flip the beat, science enters the scene,
It’s the methodical method, if you know what I mean.
Hypothesize, test,…[Read more]

Unseen wrote:
Where does responsibility and morality enter in? Beyond, of course, “You did it. You were not under duress. Therefore, you’re responsible for it.

Can one just think of morality as an emergent thought process, with societal ramifications? In particular, people stating moral beliefs can and do influence others, and one’s sel…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

_Robert_ wrote:
We can start with intelligence or hair color and work our way into musical preferences. Throw any of that data on a chart and you will have a bell curve.

What does that have to do with free choice and consciousness?

Everything. Everything about us including “free choice” is governed by a probability function.

Simon Paynton wrote:

Unseen wrote:
Nothing happens without sufficient conditions being met,

We think for a reason: to calculate what we have to do to achieve our goals, to thrive, survive and reproduce. There is therefore biological pressure to think. As for what direction this thinking takes, then within constraints and limits, and acted upon…

[Read more]

Cows came back to attack the ones who drained their udders. Cows declared there and then, “hey my teats ain’t rudders!”

Woke is an obnoxious handle. Reminds me of the chosen people.
Make America Rip Van Winkle again.

I looked for more detail on the “breakthrough with desalinization article”. The source is https://news.mit.edu/2024/solar-powered-desalination-system-requires-no-extra-batteries-1008 .

The gist of it can be summarized as a much more efficient method of desalinization through “flexible batch electrodialysis”, with “flexible” meaning that the pro…[Read more]

Throw in the other religions too, every which one defining God, Allah, and so on in their own way, usually dictated by traditionally purported authorities. The sureness they have seems particularly dangerous to me, e.g. with upsurgence of Christian Nationalism. I don’t think I ever really knew what populism was until the past few years, much less…[Read more]

Unseen wrote:
Nothing happens without sufficient conditions being met,

We think for a reason: to calculate what we have to do to achieve our goals, to thrive, survive and reproduce.  There is therefore biological pressure to think.  As for what direction this thinking takes, then within constraints and limits, and acted upon by influences – i…[Read more]

The Catholics and the Mormons pray just as strenuously, and argue over who’s god and church is true….I don’t know who’s cognitive dissonance is stronger……

Simon Paynton wrote:

Unseen wrote:
We can be and feel free on a surface level in the sense that we can do things we want to do or out of habit or whatever and not do them at gunpoint,

That is free will right there. On a day-to-day level, I exercise freedom of choice, restricted or guided by certain constraints, pushed in certain directions by…

[Read more]

Yes, Belle Rose. So many Catholics….what could go wrong?? Why do they always close their eyes when they pray to the Creator of the Universe? It seems to put a strain on their faces too…..but that could be caused by the cognitive dissonance of it all.

The religious makeup of Trump’s proposed administration.

I personally found it a bit hysterical that that article was citing “Deseret News” as a “source” 😂 😂 imagine the irony of Trumps BS being somehow spotlighted by the Mormons 😂 😂 😂

Thanks, Reg!

Have a great week!!

The only thing consistent about your god in my life is his complete absence.

– Reg.

Unseen wrote:
We can be and feel free on a surface level in the sense that we can do things we want to do or out of habit or whatever and not do them at gunpoint,

That is free will right there.  On a day-to-day level, I exercise freedom of choice, restricted or guided by certain constraints, pushed in certain directions by unseen forces – but…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Unseen wrote:
What we call consciousness seems to be an epiphenomenon of a system based on human flesh. Brain, neurons, nervous system, etc.

Maybe, but it’s not random or superfluous. It’s structured in a definite way for a reason: to help us thrive, survive and reproduce, like every other part of us.

You’re no more free if…[Read more]

_Robert_ wrote:
We can start with intelligence or hair color and work our way into musical preferences. Throw any of that data on a chart and you will have a bell curve.

What does that have to do with free choice and consciousness?

Unseen wrote:
What we call consciousness seems to be an epiphenomenon of a system based on human flesh. Brain, neurons, nervous system, etc.

Maybe, but it’s not random or superfluous.  It’s structured in a definite way for a reason: to help us thrive, survive and reproduce, like every other part of us.

The purpose of the central nervous system…

[Read more]