Re: ality

From: Dace (edace@earthlink.net)
Date: Fri Feb 01 2002 - 19:06:01 GMT

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    From: "Dace" <edace@earthlink.net>
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    Subject: Re: ality
    Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 11:06:01 -0800
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    > > > Dimensions are just ways of looking at
    > > > space by comparing one arbitrarily chosen section of it to another.
    > > > Again, the comparison takes place in the brain and not in space.
    > > >
    > > > Grant
    > >
    > >How can it take place in the brain, a spatial object, when it doesn't
    > >even take place in space?
    > >
    > >Ted
    >
    > Because that's what the brain does.

    How do you know that? All we know about the brain is that it consists of
    nerves that transmit macromolecules across synapses. We know it interacts
    with the world because some of these nerves are afferent (incoming) and some
    are efferent (outgoing). We know with certainty that its activities are
    essential for all of our mental functioning. What we don't know is that it
    represents the world. In fact, this is impossible, since it's clearly part
    of the world. Representation of the world is by necessity removed from it.
    This is an ironclad principle of logic. That which represents cannot be an
    aspect of that which is represented. The brain is a physical object.
    Therefore it does not represent physical objects, either itself or any
    others.

    > Along with recognizing recurring patterns, it compares them with
    > previous patterns stored in the brain.

    No one has ever detected information stored in the brain. Information is a
    property of the mind. The only thing we can say for sure about the brain is
    that its activities are essential to mental activity. To assert anything
    more than this is unscientific.

    > I know they're stored in the brain
    > because we don't have to go outside the brain to find them.

    Who says you're inside your brain? You exist in your mind. Your thoughts
    and memories and desires all exist in your mind. On this point we can be
    certain. By definition we exist in our minds. But the claim that we exist
    in our brains is not true by definition. It must be empirically verified,
    and no one has yet accomplished this task. Given the time and resources
    devoted to this effort, it's unlikely anyone will ever do so.

    Ted

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