Introducing the brain: where the spiritual happens (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, June 05, 2018, 14:34 (2144 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: You are describing an 'emergent' consciousness, which means the immaterial somehow appears from the material. That's the HARD PROBLEM no one can solve.

dhw: That is exactly what the materialistic part of my proposal describes, but I am not pretending it solves the “HARD PROBLEM”. I offer it as a reconciliation between materialism and dualism.

DAVID: I don't think it works.

dhw: It might be helpful if you would tell me WHY you think it doesn’t work.

Because it is pure materialism. I don't see a neutral position between materialism and dualism.

DAVID: If the cells are intelligent is just as possible that they were designed to contain intelligent information.

dhw: What does “intelligent information” mean? It sounds impressively scientific, but as an explanation for evolution, what you offer us is computer programmes designed by your God 3.8 billion years ago, to be passed down for billions of organisms to switch on at certain times in order to create every evolutionary innovation, lifestyle and natural wonder in the history of life. That doesn’t sound quite so impressively scientific to me.

I constantly present articles that show how information is carried in biochemical processes of life. You had no response to Sunday's: Sunday, June 03, 2018, 20:41 on non-DNA info and how it is carried in the embryo's cells. Were you not impressed by it? These articles are scientifically impressive to me.

Under “broken feathers”:
DAVID: Why ask for cell cooperation than simply doing it yourself, which is probably God's view since He is in charge.

dhw: Cell cooperation is essential to all forms of life. If you think billions of computer programmes and personal interventions for each form of cooperation are simpler than a single invention, then so be it.

DAVID: Of course cell communities are designed to work together as they evolve.

dhw: So how does that make billions of computer programmes and personal interventions simpler than the single invention I call cellular intelligence?

I've shown you in the Sunday article how information is passed in cells.