Dualism (Identity)

by dhw, Saturday, May 16, 2020, 11:30 (1651 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: The simplest summary is: the living soul initiates thought by using living brain networks, and I agree gets its info from the brain receiving stimuli.

dhw: Well, at least you’ve now dropped your materialist thinking, thought-producing, conceptualizing brain networks. I’m surprised that you don’t include the soul’s vital use of the brain to give material expression to its thoughts. And I don’t know why you use the word “initiate”, since the soul will continue to develop its thoughts and will continue to use the brain to gather information and express or implement its thoughts and concepts. But since you’ve already agreed to what I wrote originally, I think we should close the discussion – at least until the next time you produce a materialist version of your dualism.

DAVID: I never have had a Materialist's view. Of course the soul must use the brain in life, and I'm sorry I confused you by specifying the known brain areas where this occurs. The soul cannot pick and choice which areas of the brain to use, as they are specific regions.

You have consistently stated your case in materialist terms (e.g. the brain’s "thinking networks"), though you didn’t mean to. Now you tell me the soul uses specific areas of the brain but can’t “pick and choose”. What does that mean? The soul gets information from some parts of the brain and uses other parts in order to give material expression to its immaterial thoughts (though for some reason you left that out of your "simplest summary"). Do you now want to discuss all the different parts of the brain and to explain why the soul can’t pick this one if it needs to use that one? I don’t see the point. (Please also note my comment on the cerebellum under “Brain expansion.) I really don't know why you wish to prolong this discussion with these questionable additions to what has been agreed.