Information and free will (Introduction)

by dhw, Thursday, October 06, 2011, 16:52 (4797 days ago) @ David Turell

DHW: The ultimate subject of this discussion is whether we have a will/mind/identity that can exist independently of the material body.-DAVID: No.-DAVID: In my concept my consciousness embodies 'me' and takes me back to the UI. My consciousness includes my personality, my memories, my conscious control with free will.
 
In the light of the above, I hope you can now see why I argued that the free will discussion would ultimately lead to the question of an immaterial identity. Before we return to that topic, though, let me respond to your earlier comment that the personality is "made up of 40% genetics, 40% parental influence, and 20% life experiences". I shan't argue over the percentages, but I prefer the old, more general pairing of nature v. nurture (under which I would include education as well as family). How we respond to nurture will depend on our inborn nature, but neither of these are under our control. Those life experiences that are not the direct result of nature or nurture will occur by chance, which is not under our control either, and again our responses will be dictated by our nature. This suggests that we are 100% at the mercy of influences beyond our control! I certainly feel that I have free will, and I acknowledge that this feeling is essential to my own way of life, not to mention that of our society, which can only function by putting pressure on individuals to take responsibility for themselves and others. (Lack of free will would theoretically remove responsibility.) But on a philosophical level, free will is mighty hard to prove! -DAVID: I realize consciousness is an emergent property of the brain, but here is where I bring in quantum mechanics within and without the brain. Remember quantum 'spookiness' and entwined particles (first demonstrated by Alain Aspect). Reality stops at a quantum wall of uncertainty, behind which is the UI (God).-How does all this work? God knows, but I sure don't. However, it is the only answer I can come up with to fit my theories, all of which come from a scientific look at living matter and the cosmos.-I do remember quantum 'spookiness' and I remember the dictum that anyone who said he understood quantum mechanics didn't understand quantum mechanics. You don't know how it works ... and of course no-one else does either. That is the territory you share with the materialist, who will argue that the brain is the seat and source of consciousness/ will/mind/identity, though he too has no idea how it works. And he may also argue that it is the only answer he can come up with to fit his theories, all of which come from a scientific look at living matter and the cosmos. Because living matter and the cosmos are material, and we do not know of any form of consciousness/identity that is not part of the material, living world. (I did say earlier that we would eventually come to the paranormal, NDEs and OBEs!) I think I have a better understanding now of your beliefs, but perhaps in the light of the above you will also have a better understanding of my own non-beliefs. -DAVID: An attempt at a new book is forming in my consciousness: "A Path to God thru Science". :>()-David, your first book was an immensely important contribution to my own grasp of many issues. Please exercise your famous free will, and write the new book before you're prevented from doing so by factors beyond your control!