Philosophy / Science / Religion

innerSpaceman · 01-20-2011, 01:17 PM

I am flabbergasted that anyone truly believes chemicals can think, or that the influence of chemicals or any other natural substance can determine precisely what thoughts a living being can think or what actions a live creature may take. Poppycock on its face.

In a way, a conversation about this seems as useless to me as would a conversation with Sarah Palin about compassion. There is no common frame of reference on which to base a discussion.

So if you think "you" had no hand in deciding what socks you put on today, there's no frame of reference I can imagine to refute that - it is simply completely off base to my entire framework of knowledge and experience.

It's one thing to assert we don't consciously assist our heart in beating, but quite another to allege I had no option but to type the word "zebra" just now.

I typed and erased four other words before settling on "zebra." Was that a chemical process entirely physical in nature? Of course, we can never know. But why anyone would have such a notion is beyond me.

01-20-2011, 01:17 PM	#11
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	I am flabbergasted that anyone truly believes chemicals can think, or that the influence of chemicals or any other natural substance can determine precisely what thoughts a living being can think or what actions a live creature may take. Poppycock on its face. In a way, a conversation about this seems as useless to me as would a conversation with Sarah Palin about compassion. There is no common frame of reference on which to base a discussion. So if you think "you" had no hand in deciding what socks you put on today, there's no frame of reference I can imagine to refute that - it is simply completely off base to my entire framework of knowledge and experience. It's one thing to assert we don't consciously assist our heart in beating, but quite another to allege I had no option but to type the word "zebra" just now. I typed and erased four other words before settling on "zebra." Was that a chemical process entirely physical in nature? Of course, we can never know. But why anyone would have such a notion is beyond me.
	Submit to Quotes