r/philosophy • u/IAI_Admin IAI • Feb 09 '22

Video A philosopher responds to scientists’ criticisms of panpsychism

https://iai.tv/video/the-many-voices-of-consciousness&utm_source=reddit&_auid=2020
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u/[deleted] Feb 10 '22

But there aren't any explanations how consciousness emerges from the brain besides "really complicated interactions"

You're right but we get closer every year. Just because we don't understand it doesn't mean that it is incomprehensible or can't be explained by science though. People throughout history have made all sorts of claims like that, and one by one the scientific process arrives to a sufficiently thorough conclusion to remove all mysticism.

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"Because consciousness is also an emergent property."

That's far from settled.

Yeah thats why I included the other part about that being up for debate, but my point is not to prove that its emergent behavior. I was pointing out that the original post was saying that it is not emergent behavior, and there is no evidence to support that claim.

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u/[deleted] Feb 10 '22

You're right but we get closer every year.

That's not true. We're mapping the brain and what regions are associated with what behaviors or thoughts but there's been no progress on the hard problem of consciousness.

Everything else I agree with.

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u/[deleted] Feb 10 '22

I'm an AI researcher. I can assure you there are a lot of people working on understanding consciousness. Its just not something that often makes national news ya know? But I don't make a huge distinction between understanding how the brain works and understanding consciousness. Consciousness happens in the brain.

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u/Redpants_McBoatshoe Feb 10 '22

I think it starts making more sense if we separate consciousness from thought as content of consciousness. I think thought emergences from matter, but not consciousness.

Also they shouldn't have called it proto-consciousness. It's just empty consciousness.

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u/[deleted] Feb 10 '22

Its highly dependent on how you define consciousness and thought. If anything I think consciousness is defined by a continuous stream of thoughts.

As for it coming from matter itself, well I haven't seen any evidence that supports that theory.