Big brain evolution: changes in sapiens skull shape (Evolution)

by David Turell , Thursday, February 08, 2018, 15:32 (2478 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: You keep agreeing (as below, now bolded) that I = the s/s/c. So now apparently your s/s/c reaches and controls your s/s/c! I suggest that a dualist’s s/s/c reaches and controls the functioning brain. To use your pet analogy, the software controls the hardware.

I'll accept your last sentence.

DAVID: You are so confused. You keep forgetting the s/s/c is in two different states during an NDE, with an without a functional brain.
dhw: You are so confused. During an NDE (and an OBE) the s/s/c – according to all the doctors – is without a functional brain. That is why NDEs (and OBEs) are regarded as evidence for dualism.
DAVID: No confusion. Evidence for dualism.

In an NDE the s/s/c is separated from the non-functioning brain. Operates without brain. That is first state. Second state is with functional brain with s/s/c joined to it and revealing the ezxpeiences.

The evidence comes from the claim that during an NDE the patient’s self does NOT have a functional brain, whereas you have just said that he/she does!

You just don't follow the obvious reasoning. See above.

dhw: means that you/yourself/soul don’t know what you are thinking until you have said it or written it!

Thoughts have a temporal aspect. You are not aware of what you are thinking until you think it.

dhw: Alexander IS his s/s/c and had no connection to his brain for a week. The contradiction lies between your dualistic belief that the soul/self does the thinking/remembering, and your materialistic belief that you can’t think/remember without a functioning brain.

Of course I can't think unless my brain is functional and has my s/s/c attached. Alexander lived in coma a week without knowing what was going on. When his s/s/c rejoined his physical brain, he then learned of what had happened in his past week.

DAVID: Of course we need a functional brain to think.
dhw: Welcome back to materialism. But dualists believe that the s/s/c does the thinking – as appears to be demonstrated by NDEs. We need a functional brain to express or implement our thoughts.
DAVID: Of course the brain is material and you can't reach your s/s/c while alive without it. [Repeated on the "chimps" thread.]

dhw: As above. Apparently you don’t know what you are thinking until you have said it or written it.

But you do? Amazing.