Panpsychism (Evolution)

by dhw, Sunday, December 09, 2012, 20:50 (4149 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: If we take chance v. design as the first two options, perhaps panpsychism could be the third, and I will relegate my agnosticism to the fourth way!-DAVID: No, there are only two ways and then yours. Design implicitly must contain intelligence and information. Panpsychism implies that. Agnosticism is a third way, which answers nothing. That is if you want answers.-You're ignoring the argument that preceded the conclusion you've quoted. The definition of panpsychism given in the Koch article is: "all matter has some consciousness associated with it, although the degree of consciousness varies enormously, depending on the complexity of the system." I am applying this to the evolution (as opposed to the creation) of the universe and life. Theism demands a self-aware creator deliberately designing both, i.e. its starting point is supreme self-awareness that has always been in existence. In my suggested third way of panpsychism, there is no self-aware designer, but only an evolution from the lowest form of intelligence (primeval energy without self-awareness) through inorganic to organic matter, to animals and us, all of which involve an increasing level of intelligence (or consciousness ... in this context it becomes hard to distinguish between the two). To me the distinction between deliberate design by a supremely self-aware superintelligence and evolution from minimal (but not non-existent) consciousness to our own is crystal clear ... in analogy to unselfconscious single cell life through multicellularity to self-aware humans. It's a kind of compromise between the first two options, since intelligently but unselfconsciously combining cells ... and intelligently but unselfconsciously combining energy and materials ... vastly reduce the role played by chance, especially during an eternity of such combinations.-You are right that agnosticism answers nothing, but that does not stop agnostics from seeking answers, just as you yourself continue to do. Those who do not want answers are either apathetic or convinced that they already know the truth!