Identity (Identity)

by dhw, Tuesday, September 01, 2009, 20:47 (5350 days ago) @ George Jelliss

George: I've specifically stated that the mind is the activity of the brain, not the brain cells themselves.-Fair comment, but this only shifts all my questions from "brain cells" to "activity". With involuntary thought, what causes the brain-cell activity that results in ideas, memories, imaginings? How does this activity translate itself into such ideas, memories, imaginings? 
With deliberate thought, what gives us control over the activity? -As regards identity, it's still the same problem. You say it's the connections between the brain cells that are changed, and "what they are taken to signify". We agree that changes to our identity are brought about by environment, chance and experience (which you sum up as our history ... OK by me), but I'm asking for explanations no-one has yet provided: HOW do my atoms change their own connections? Do "I" have any control over this process, and if so HOW do my atoms give "me" this control? When you say: "What they are taken to signify" ... what does the taking? -Strikingly, you asked David how a "universal intelligence" actually works. I am asking the same question about the activities of the brain.-I wrote: But we do not know anything about how all the above mental processes work. 
You responded: We know a great deal. What do you think all those neuroscientists and psychologists are doing with their time?-I was referring only to the mechanisms (sorry, I know you hate the word) that provide us with thought, will, memory, emotion, consciousness, imagination etc. ... not to psychology. Neuroscientists can tell us which sections of the brain are connected with which activity, but nobody knows HOW the activities translate themselves into these faculties.-I wrote: I simply cannot say that the mind is nothing but atoms.
You wrote: Same old straw man again!
 
I can do no better than quote David Turell's response: "The brain is nothing but atoms. The mind is another issue. It is created by those atoms, but how?" I'm not sure if "created" is the right word, but since I don't understand the process, I don't know what IS the right word. All the same, let me apply the conclusion of my last post to David's response: "And so long as that question remains open, I cannot say that there are no dimensions or forms of existence beyond those of the physical world as we know it." Your belief in the creative powers of our atoms (and their activities) is strong enough for you to dispense with any concept beyond the physical, and that of course is your prerogative. I can only tell you why I don't share your belief.-However, not sharing one belief does not mean espousing another. You began your post by expressing surprise at my agreement that there is no evidence for a "universal intelligence". I'm surprised that you're surprised. Perhaps you've forgotten that I'm an agnostic!