Consciousness: thoughts from David Berlinski (General)

by dhw, Monday, May 21, 2018, 14:18 (2376 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: He has no answers either, but has some interesting comments:
http://inference-review.com/article/godzooks

DAVID’s comment: Yes, we are self-conscious, and we don't think animals are. This is from a book review. The book proposes that computers will become conscious. Berlinski disagrees. These comments give a clear insight into how very complex the human brain happens to be. And it adds to my argument from incredulity. An inorganic universe cannot create our brain. Our brain is the best reason for accepting that God must exist.

I think many of our fellow animals have a degree of self-consciousness. I have no doubt, for instance, that our four-legged friends are aware of their own suffering, but their self-awareness is nothing like as extensive as our own. (I don’t think they would question how or why they got here). Re computers, see Part Three of my Theory of Intelligence. I agree with you that the complexity of life and especially of our brain is the best reason for belief in a designer – counterbalanced of course by the age-old and unanswerable question of who designed the designer.