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All the proof you need is the existence of psychoactive chemicals, the effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation, evidence from fMRI studies, and the s

All the proof you need is the existence of psychoactive chemicals, the effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation, evidence from fMRI studies, and the selective personality alterations that occur in cases of localized brain damage.

RivieraKid 10y ago
All of those only imply that the physical state of the brain affects consciousness, which both camps agree on.
- nitrogen 10y ago
  But physicalism explains it while dualism has to work around it, violating Occam's razor. More points in favor of physicalism: scientists' ability to alter rat neurons to be photosensitive and attach them to fiber optic cables, the ability to implant memories in rats by altering a neuron, the mapping of place neurons in rats -- or perhaps the fact that brains are produced entirely from matter consumed by the mother during gestation and by the creature afterward, so where does the dualistic mind get a chance to insert itself? I'll note that I used to be a staunch dualist for religious reasons, but became convinced of physicalism over a period of years of semi-active reading.
  - ZeroFries 10y ago
    Or, matter is entirely imagined. Neurons are imagined. Atoms are imagined. Reality is inseparable. Only one thing exists, as you say.
wslh 10y ago
I don't think so, consciousness seems from another dimension, you feel that you are present in this world while even if you build the most complex machinery you don't obtain that result. I am obviously just speculating because I don't see an obvious connection between matter and consciousness even if they are linked in some way. The article doesn't give any clarity about this problem stated by Leibniz et al.
- mcguire 10y ago
  "...I don't see an obvious connection between matter and consciousness even if they are linked in some way." Dualism has worse problems, though. If there is no connection between consciousness and matter, how do psychoactive substances alter consciousness? How do conscious decisions cause material movements?
  - carapace 10y ago
    Well, that's the problem(s) isn't it? There's obviously some connection, what could it be? If you're going to take both subjective awareness and physics seriously there's a huge and crucial mystery here! Q.E.D. (Or running in circles, as you like.)
eternalban 10y ago
That's not a proof. One could argue that consciousness is a field phenomena and that our (gross) material brain is a device that interacts with this field. Modify the device and you modify the local effect.
- roywiggins 10y ago
  Field phenomena seem awfully physical to me.
  - eternalban 10y ago
    "Human conscious experience is wholly a matter of physical goings-on in the body and in particular the brain." [emphasis added]

RivieraKid 10y ago

All of those only imply that the physical state of the brain affects consciousness, which both camps agree on.

nitrogen 10y ago
But physicalism explains it while dualism has to work around it, violating Occam's razor. More points in favor of physicalism: scientists' ability to alter rat neurons to be photosensitive and attach them to fiber optic cables, the ability to implant memories in rats by altering a neuron, the mapping of place neurons in rats -- or perhaps the fact that brains are produced entirely from matter consumed by the mother during gestation and by the creature afterward, so where does the dualistic mind get a chance to insert itself? I'll note that I used to be a staunch dualist for religious reasons, but became convinced of physicalism over a period of years of semi-active reading.
- ZeroFries 10y ago
  Or, matter is entirely imagined. Neurons are imagined. Atoms are imagined. Reality is inseparable. Only one thing exists, as you say.

wslh 10y ago

I don't think so, consciousness seems from another dimension, you feel that you are present in this world while even if you build the most complex machinery you don't obtain that result. I am obviously just speculating because I don't see an obvious connection between matter and consciousness even if they are linked in some way. The article doesn't give any clarity about this problem stated by Leibniz et al.

mcguire 10y ago
"...I don't see an obvious connection between matter and consciousness even if they are linked in some way." Dualism has worse problems, though. If there is no connection between consciousness and matter, how do psychoactive substances alter consciousness? How do conscious decisions cause material movements?
- carapace 10y ago
  Well, that's the problem(s) isn't it? There's obviously some connection, what could it be? If you're going to take both subjective awareness and physics seriously there's a huge and crucial mystery here! Q.E.D. (Or running in circles, as you like.)

eternalban 10y ago

That's not a proof. One could argue that consciousness is a field phenomena and that our (gross) material brain is a device that interacts with this field. Modify the device and you modify the local effect.

roywiggins 10y ago
Field phenomena seem awfully physical to me.
- eternalban 10y ago
  "Human conscious experience is wholly a matter of physical goings-on in the body and in particular the brain." [emphasis added]