Hassel Free Living

Posts Tagged ‘dualism’

Some thoughts about dualism (and they are just some thoughts with recommendations to expert opinions) in response to a video by and a exchange of text comments I had with LegoDesi.

If you get an error message when trying to view the video, either hit the “HQ” button or, if that doesn’t work, try adding &fmt=18 to the URL for the video. One or the other usually solves the problem — whatever the problem is. Hello, YouTube, maybe this could be fixed?!

Links:

LegoDesi’s “QualiaSoup’s video lacks substance”–

QualiaSoup’s “Substance Dualism”–

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsPn5dXfTvA

SisyphusRedeemed’s video on mind-body dualism-

My “What is God?” video–

Also, Nykytine2, a favorite YouTuber of mine, did a nice video on this topic a while back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O05wZCVcbeY&NR=1

Music: “Anybody Seen My Mind?” by Michael Franti

Duration : 0:5:12

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Ever wonder what we are?
Where are our soul, consciousness and mind ? Can it transcend the mortality of the body?
Well, join the club . Here is a video that helps.. or not

The thought experiment in this video
deals directly with the notion of a body-soul dualism. Rather than conclusions it presents a line of thinking. Reaching conclusions is, once again, up to you

Step 1: Watch the video.
Step 2: Answer the question posed in the end. You won’t be right or wrong – remember, its only a though experiment.
There is nothing actually testable. This isn’t science.

Now that you thought about it, Here is my take on it:

There are several possible ways to answer

1. The situation can never happen. For instance, any attempt to suspend the animation/freeze a human being would kill the subject. This, I think, is a cop out.
If you have issues with quantum effects of identifying and moving atoms, imagine that instead of atoms, we deal with slightly larger structures (like cells).
We grow/clone equivalent cells and copy the essential physical properties (like charges on the axons of the neurons, etc.) Basically, this experiment is impractical but it can be done in theory. Most importantly – its a THOUGHT experiment.

2. Humans have souls, so it must either remain in one body, or jump to the other one during molecular the 50/50 exchange. What if we did a full 100/0 exchange, transferred all the molecules to the new body – would it jump then? What if we did 60/40? At what point WOULD it move? The answers in this scenario are somewhat vague (at least from the posts so far). However, maybe there IS a good argument along these lines – share it!

3. The simplest scenario is that the question is meaningless. Much like “which one is the original ship”. The concept of “original” may no longer apply and neither is the original. Similarly, “Which Homer will you be” assumes there is a “you” outside of Homer, that Homer has an external, non-physical soul, that this still existing Homer has some “body” to “be” when the bodies are awaken. Without this assumption, however, the resolution is far simpler.
There will be two new people with identical memories but different futures. Both self aware. Both will be a “you”. Just like you are a “you” and I am a “you”. The you that existed in the past is as relevant as the you that lived yesterday. One of you will say: aha I am the guy on the right. The other one: I am the guy on the left. There is no ORIGINAL you – the adjective is meaningless. Think of “you” as a process or a function of the brain. A waterfall is a process. It may dry up or freeze over and vanish only to reappear again the next spring. Which one is the “original”? The molecules of water that “make it up” are different, but the waterfall still exists. It can also be split into two waterfalls that both inherit the properties of the original without “destroying” it.

Thus, both Homers are simply a You. You have distinct bodies, but both feel that they are “a you”. And if I am talking to the homer with a doughnut, than he is a this “you”. If I am talking to the one with the beer – than he is a that “you”. It’s a bit weird, but it is symmetric and fare. In my judgment, it is the best way to resolve this “paradox”.

Duration : 0:3:51

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