Neuroscientist loses a 25-year bet on consciousness — to a philosopher

[Hume]

I'm sure you'd agree that your arms and legs aren't generating desire or thoughts. Neither are your bones, skin or blood.

So, which part of you is generating desire or thoughts, so which part is the "you" that is performing these functions?

I would not think about eating if my body did not need nutrition.

 

[Daylight63]

No scientist believes in free will. They do not even understand the concept.

Some scientists believe in free will.

 

[Hume]

Some scientists believe in free will.

Maybe, but has nothing to do with science.

 

[Daylight63]

so?

It means intention occurs in the brain PRIOR to conscious thought of your intent. Which is pretty damn close to a thought coming out of your brain without your direct conscious input.

 

[Hume]

It means intention occurs in the brain PRIOR to conscious thought of your intent. Which is pretty damn close to a thought coming out of your brain without your direct conscious input.

What causes intention?

 

[Daylight63]

Maybe, but has nothing to do with science.

I generally agree but only because the science has been looking FOR it. So it does have "something to do with science" since many neurobiologists are studying this exact thing.

 

[Hume]

I generally agree but only because the science has been looking FOR it. So it does have "something to do with science" since many neurobiologists are studying this exact thing.

Will is not a physical phenomenon.

 

[Daylight63]

What causes intention?

In many cases it would be the neural network automatically responding to a stimulus.

Either instinct kicks in or prior training of the network.

 

[Daylight63]

Will is not a physical phenomenon.

I don't know what that sentence means.

 

[Hume]

In many cases it would be the neural network automatically responding to a stimulus.

Either instinct kicks in or prior training of the network.

Where does the neural network tell me to respond to your post--rather than, say, drink water?

 

[Hume]

I don't know what that sentence means.

Science cannot explain will by its own method.

 

[ZenMode]

I would not think about eating if my body did not need nutrition.

Yep.

But the question was what is the "you" that is generating desire and is generating thoughts.

 

[Hume]

Yep.

But the question was what is the "you" that is generating desire and is generating thoughts.

I answered it the last 68 times you asked me. There is no "you" without a body.

 

[Daylight63]

Where does the neural network tell me to respond to your post--rather than, say, drink water?

I don't know if ALL intention works that way. But note that when you received the stimulus of my post you chose to respond rather than, say, fly an airplane. It's a stimulus you respond to.

 

[Daylight63]

Science cannot explain will by its own method.

I don't understand why you and Cypress both characterize things as "science or not science" and then start pointing at verbs as if that makes the point. Will is a thing. It is both a noun and a verb describing something we all "experience". The nature of it is what is being investigated.

And why do you make a universal declaration of "science cannot...." when no such evidence exists?

 

[Truck Fump / h1b]

No, my thoughts are. I don't determine my thoughts. In fact, I have no idea what my next thought is going to be until I think it. But my thoughts are what determine my every action. My decision to respond to your last post was completely outside of my control. "My".

bullshit.

 

[Truck Fump / h1b]

I don't understand why you and Cypress both characterize things as "science or not science" and then start pointing at verbs as if that makes the point. Will is a thing. It is both a noun and a verb describing something we all "experience". The nature of it is what is being investigated.

And why do you make a universal declaration of "science cannot...." when no such evidence exists?

they consider themselves intellectual gatekeepers of some kind.

they also consider themselves the definers of all religions.

 

[ZenMode]

I answered it the last 68 times you asked me. There is no "you" without a body.

Which part of your body is consciously generating thoughts? Bones? Skin? Blood? Arms? Head?

 

[Cypress]

Which part of your body is consciously generating thoughts? Bones? Skin? Blood? Arms? Head?

Prefrontal cortex.

 

[ZenMode]

Prefrontal cortex.

"Consciously" meaning that "you" are consciously creating the thoughts. What is the "you" that is creating the thoughts?