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

Hume said:
Right, some abstract force is making you write that.
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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".
 
ZenMode said:
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".
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Sounds like a psychiatric disorder.
 
ZenMode said:
Can you think your next thought before you think it? Do you know what your next thought is going to be before you think it? Can you stop your next thought from arising and consciousness?
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Yes. I am thirsty. My next thought is to fill up my water bottle.
 
Hume said:
Yes. I am thirsty. My next thought is to fill up my water bottle.
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You didn't consciously create that thought. It just arose in conscious and you had no way to stop it. Had the opposite thought arose and consciousness, and it caused you to not immediately fill up your water bottle, That would have been outside of your control also.
 
ZenMode said:
You didn't consciously create that thought. It just arose in consciousnyourAnd you had no way to stop it. Had the opposite thoughts arose and consciousness, and it caused you to not immediately fill up your water bottle, That would have been outside of your control also.
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I consciously caused my thought of how to get water.
 
ZenMode said:
No you didn't. In order for you to consciously create a thought, you would basically have to think it before you think it. And we both know that does not happen.
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I think you know nothing about how the mind operates. If you are possessed by some strange spirit that's on you.
 
Hume said:
I think you know nothing about how the mind operates. If you are possessed by some strange spirit that's on you.
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What have you experienced that makes you believe you think thoughts before you think them, which is what would have to be true for you to consciously create your thoughts.
 
ZenMode said:
What have you experienced that makes you believe you think thoughts before you think them, which is what would have to be true for you to consciously create your thoughts.
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Reminds me of what Aristotle calls the Megarian Fallacy. That reality is just a permanent present.
 
Hume said:
That is just a logical tautology. So, nothing can be inferred from it.
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I'm asking about your personal experience. Just pay attention to how thoughts arise and consciousness and tell me what makes you think that you are consciously creating them, in other words, thinking them before you think them.
 
ZenMode said:
I'm asking about your personal experience. Just pay attention to how thoughts arise and consciousness and tell me what makes you think that you are consciously creating them, in other words, thinking them before you think them.
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"Creating [thought] before you think them" is a nonsense sentence. Nothing rational about it.
 
Hume said:
I am doing it now. I genuinely have never believed an abstract force is causing me to act.
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What makes you believe you are consciously creating thoughts vs them just appearing in consciousness?

Do you know what your next thought are going to be before it arises in your is consciousness?
 
ZenMode said:
What makes you believe you are consciously creating thoughts vs them just appearing in consciousness?

Do you know what your next thought are going to be before it arises in your is consciousness?
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I know that this morning I chose when to wake up. Then whether to go out or eat lunch first. So, I think my own thoughts all the time. You seem to have some spirit possessing your mind.
 
Hume said:
I know that this morning I chose when to wake up. Then whether to go out or eat lunch first. So, I think my own thoughts all the time. You seem to have some spirit possessing your mind.
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That's not what I asked. I asked what makes you believe you are consciously creating your thoughts. Are you consciously firing specific synapses in your brain? Are you consciously assembling thoughts before you think them?
 
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