Evolution and humans: big brain size or use (Evolution)

by dhw, Tuesday, May 23, 2017, 14:01 (2739 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: Once again you separate everything as if they don't interlock. Brainless consciousness does think in NDE's and the memories are brought back.
dhw: As above. If you believe that the brain and consciousness are interlocked, i.e. consciousness cannot exist without the brain, out goes your afterlife, and in comes materialism.
DAVID: No. I believe, as I've stated, that there is a universal consciousness, a part of which can be used by the brain for use by the brain. My portion of that consciousness returns to universal consciousness after death and now is in the afterlife.

I am trying hard to make sense of this, and I’ll take in stages. Presumably, then, your consciousness is a part of God. Your brain can use it so that it can use it. Difficult to follow. I keep pointing out that it is consciousness that uses the brain, but perhaps this double use of “use” is meant somehow to prove your contention that it is the other way round. When your brain dies, your bit of God returns to God, but – the factor you’ve left out – you believe you will still be the conscious you. And if you are still you, obviously consciousness/ you/your “self” and the brain are NOT interlocked.

dhw: The discussion concerns the enlargement of the brain. You say the brain got bigger, which gave rise to new concepts. I say that if you believe in dualism, it has to be the new concepts that triggered the enlargement of the brain. By the time you arrived on Planet Earth, the brain had already been enlarged.
DAVID: The enlarged brain gave the ability to develop concepts through a more advanced form of thinking, that the more complex brain allowed using the receipt of consciousness ability. We had the ability 200,000 years ago to do advanced theoretical math, but only developed it in the past 300 years. Brain size first, concepts afterward.

Two questions: Do you believe that the complexities of the brain gave rise to our enhanced consciousness? Do you believe the complexities of the brain gave rise to advanced theoretical math? If your answer is yes, you are a materialist (which is fine). If your answer is no, then please tell us what you think did give rise to our enhanced consciousness and to advanced theoretical math.