Panpsychism; Sabine Hossenfelder doesn't believe in it (Evolution)

by dhw, Monday, March 09, 2020, 10:51 (1719 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: Her point is that the elementary particles combine to make atoms which combine to make molecules. Therefore molecules which make up everything don't produce panpsychism in things. But remember panpsychism could be a separate force field, much as I think we are alive in the field of God's consciousness.

My personal view is that I don’t need all the rigmarole about particles. I find it impossible to believe that inanimate objects ranging from a grain of sand to a rock to a man-made building to a star have even a rudimentary consciousness. On the other hand, I don’t see how it’s possible to believe in God and not believe in some form of panpsychism, but I also find it impossible to believe that consciousness can simply have existed for ever outside of materials. On the third hand, I don’t think it’s possible to disbelieve in God without believing that some unconscious materials at some point became conscious and evolved ever increasing degrees of consciousness. You have to have blind faith to believe in any of the theories about the origin of consciousness. But one of them must be true or close to the truth! The agnostic’s dilemma!