Human Consciousness: how we observe (Humans)

by dhw, Friday, August 19, 2016, 12:32 (3017 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: It is this ability to think and communicate with others (not just passively observe) that supports the theory that mind and body are separate, which is the essence of what is known as substance dualism (property dualism makes mind and body interdependent, and so offers no possibility of life after death). - DAVID: You know more about the philosophy of dualism than the extent to which I am educated in it. I accept your observation, and now see your point. For me our consciousness is what contains our soul and can separate from the body to enter afterlife. - dhw:If you believe human souls also survive our physical death, and if you believe they are conscious (not much point in having an unconscious soul, is there? You might as well be dead), how can you also believe that consciousness requires a brain to be “received”, unless you accept my suggestion that the brain is only required so long as we have a body? - DAVID: I think we can agree there are the two types of near to death episodes, out of body and down the tunnel to light. When separated into those parts we are in full agreement. Both shed light on how our consciousness/soul might work. - Thank you for both of these gracious responses. In our discussions, it's quite unusual for me to be adopting the immaterialist stance in opposition to your initially materialist stance (consciousness needs the brain), but hey ho, that's agnosticism for you! Our agreement actually leads to another interesting issue, but I need to think it through first….