Different in degree or kind: Sapiens begin brain use (Introduction)

by dhw, Thursday, October 13, 2016, 12:43 (2749 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: I accept your analysis of my thinking if it is clear that I am born to use and develop my consciousness. I control it and drive the plasticity of my brain by using it. I see nothing wrong with that approach.

dhw: Nor do I. The plasticity of the brain is indeed all-important, because if your dualistic beliefs are correct, it is your consciousness that changes your brain, not the other way round. This means that it was not the big brain that gave rise to thoughts of culture, but thoughts of culture that gave rise to the big brain.

DAVID: You again skip the point that the brain size jumped in big gaps in each successive Homo species as they appeared. Size gap first, plasticity, advanced and expanded use of consciousness second.

That would only be true if the size of the brain engendered and/or expanded consciousness as opposed to merely receiving it. It may well do so, but then you will have to abandon your dualism. You simply cannot have it both ways. I am currently struggling with an idea to reconcile dualism and materialism, but I need time and I don’t have it at the moment!