Big brain evolution: brain size and intelligence (Evolution)

by dhw, Monday, March 26, 2018, 12:46 (2185 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: What do you mean by thought is “achieved”? Thought is implemented by the two of them working together. It is you who have plugged the hardware/software analogy to illustrate that the two parts of dualism are the immaterial mind (the software that supplies the thoughts) and the material brain (the hardware which gives the thoughts material implementation). And you then ignore it when you say that the THINKING mind can’t think without the IMPLEMENTING brain (= software can’t supply any programmes until you have hardware), even though in death you believe the mind remains its thinking self when there is no implementing brain. In life the software’s programmes cannot be IMPLEMENTED until you have the hardware.The hardware does not supply the thought. Do you agree or disagree?

DAVID: Your complaint about my theory has a problem. You assume the s/s/c is one monolithic unchanging form, the same in life and in death or when the brain is non-functional for a period (NDE) I look at the evidence and make the conclusion that the s/s/c has two different forms and/or mechanisms to explain the way the s/s/c seems to function in two different realities, life and death. In life it must work with the brain to produce new thought or resurrect memory. The brain alone without the s/s/c cannot produce thought, but by the same token, in life the s/s/c cannot produce thought without the brain. I don't know why this is not clear to you. I've stated this before: the dualism I see has more than one dualism: brain soul duality, and soul in life and soul in death dual forms. In death the s/s/c has a way of supplying its own hardware by some sort of quantum mechanics, perhaps transferred from the brain as death occurs.

I have already agreed that a brainless self will function differently from a self with a brain, and material life must be different from immaterial life. But that is not what we are discussing! You claim that your God had to expand the pre-sapiens brain before it was able to come up with new thoughts. Our discussion therefore concerns the relationship between s/s/c and brain during life, not possible differences between soul in life and soul in death. NDEs are only relevant insofar as they appear to provide evidence for dualism – namely, that the mind and body are separate entities. IF they are (please note the block capitals), the immaterial mind does the thinking and the material body/brain provides information and implements the thoughts. Information: “Me hungry, me see living meat, me often get hurt when get too close.” New thought: “Maybe make sharp weapon to throw from distance.” Makes sharp weapon, which requires new skills and therefore causes new changes to brain (pre-sapiens: probable complexification plus major expansion; whereas sapiens: complexification, limited minor expansion, but also shrinkage as some cells/connections no longer required). Concept first, brain change as a consequence. This dualistic hypothesis contradicts the materialistic hypothesis that the material brain is responsible for thought, and conforms to modern scientific research on how we change our brains (illiterates, taxi-drivers, musicians). As a dualist, why do you object?


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