Categories or Degrees of Existence (Agnosticism)

by dhw, Sunday, July 04, 2010, 14:24 (5255 days ago) @ Tim

Tim has informed us about the SLIT experiment, in which electrons appear to have a mind of their own, casting new light on the concept of subjectivity. -First of all, Tim, a warm welcome to the forum, and many thanks for this very interesting post. No doubt our "resident" scientists will comment on the experiment, though it would be helpful if you yourself could tell us more about its significance in relation to the general topic of subjectivity. -In this context, I was particularly struck by your remark that "we "see" because of our eyes' transduction, but we "perceive" because of our brains' transcription. When these are in parity, best reality happens." This is a very neat way of framing our whole discussion, because all of us may "see" precisely the same set of apparently objective facts, but the brain may transcribe them into diametrically opposed conclusions, and nobody is in a position to say whose transcription is the objectively real one. In most cases, we rely on a consensus (intersubjective), practical experiments (as objective as can be), or personal experience (subjective). Certain "realities" can't be tested by practical experiment ... I'm thinking for instance of emotional and aesthetic processes which are every bit as real to us as material objects ... and the questions at the heart of our discussions come into this category. Even if science were eventually to produce a formula that led to life, evolution and consciousness, we still wouldn't be able to say whether the original came about by accident or by design. I wonder where you stand on this issue.-Thank you again for your post. I for one would welcome more!