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Lakefingers
Registered: 08/26/05
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Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism *DELETED*
#12620457 - 05/24/10 02:34 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Post deleted by Lakefingers
Reason for deletion: No reason.
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Icelander
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12620524 - 05/24/10 02:49 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Inquiring minds want to know.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
Edited by Icelander (05/24/10 02:50 PM)
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Lakefingers
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Icelander]
#12620560 - 05/24/10 02:54 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Inquiring minds want to know how everything is a construct of the human mind, except that very insight.
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andrewss
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12621410 - 05/24/10 05:16 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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I am the best thing that ever happened, thanks
-------------------- Jesus loves you.
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deCypher
Registered: 02/10/08
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: andrewss]
#12621416 - 05/24/10 05:17 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Nuh uh!
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
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andrewss
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: deCypher]
#12621503 - 05/24/10 05:33 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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-------------------- Jesus loves you.
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Icelander
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12621515 - 05/24/10 05:35 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Lakefingers said: Inquiring minds want to know how everything is a construct of the human mind, except that very insight.
Well you know how I feel about it.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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Mr. Mushrooms
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12623974 - 05/25/10 12:32 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Lakefingers said: Throughout history thinkers that have studied the world have come to realize, despite what mystical and theological traditions tell us, that man most likely has no special, god-given superior, place in nature.
Other thinkers conclude the opposite and in the face of the lack of evidence, try to place man in the center of creation.
This has taken a recent expression not in mysticism, but in quantum physics. That is, where physics ends, philosophy begins and sloppy reasoning and wild assumptions can be made. The dualistic theory is called "biocentrism" (Robert Lanza) and with it Lanza makes a great error:
Lanza claims that reality is only a brain event, but never explains why biocentrism itself supercedes this, how biocentrism is not also a brain event.
Lanza doesn't sound too smart. I take issue though with a few premises here. I'm too tired to explain them though. It will have to wait.
Nice thread.
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Mr. Mushrooms
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12624663 - 05/25/10 07:01 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Lakefingers said: Throughout history thinkers that have studied the world have come to realize, despite what mystical and theological traditions tell us, that man most likely has no special, god-given superior, place in nature.
Throughout recent history thinkers have been divided on the issue of whether or not man is unique. Philosophers, beginning with Hobbes, and scientists, beginning with Darwin, have sought to dethrone not only God, but his creation. Yet, our knowledge of ourselves makes it abundantly clear we are at the top of creation with our ability to reason.
Quote:
Lakefingers said: Other thinkers conclude the opposite and in the face of the lack of evidence, try to place man in the center of creation.
What lack of evidence? The evidence is abundant. And other philosophers recognize the evidence and what it indicates.
Quote:
Lakefingers said: This has taken a recent expression not in mysticism, but in quantum physics. That is, where physics ends, philosophy begins and sloppy reasoning and wild assumptions can be made. The dualistic theory is called "biocentrism" (Robert Lanza) and with it Lanza makes a great error:
Lanza's error does not constitute error in all schools of philosophy. I would call that sloppy reasoning.
http://www.radicalacademy.com/adlerman1.htm
A review of Dr. Mortimer Adler's book The Difference of Man and the Difference it Makes says:
Quote:
Dr Adler here gives us a fine presentation and analysis of animal cognition and how it corresponds with human knowledge. The distinctions Adler offers here are timeless and crucial. The answer to this question of the difference in man and animals is neither purely scientific, nor purely philosophical; rather a combined approach is needed. The relevant question to be answered is "Does man differ from the rest of the animal kingdom by degree or by kind, and if by kind is this difference radical or superficial?" Adler, using a traditional Aristotelian and Thomistic analysis of the modern research while combining it with the more recent positions of other philosophers and scientists, concludes that it is a difference in kind and that this difference is indeed radical. Man is a different "kind" of thing than the other creatures that inhabit our planet.
Adler is indeed fair and objective throughout. We must look at the operation of the creature in question, and in this case - articulation indicates what a given creature does in fact "know". The argument for difference in kind turns on man's ability to articulate "designators", that is verbalized concepts in both their connotative and denotative form. There is no evidence that animal communication is expressive in this way. The data that has resulted from inquiring into animal intelligence suggests no more than an ability of perceptual abstraction, whether memorized or immediate. Mankind articulates designators and these articulations cannot be explained by mere sense perception or any perceptual generalization for the very fact that such designators are inherently non - perceptible. Not only does man attribute and recognize particulars as members of abstract classes or the classes themselves, he has the additional ability to express concepts that are not empirically observable at all; i.e. "God", logical relations such as "inference", pi, etc. Thus, the negative edge of Ockham's razor prevents us from attributing conceptual awareness on the part of animals yet the positive edge of this principle of parsimony demands such additional attribution to mankind.
Next, Adler, using a traditional argument from Aquinas and Aristotle, argues that this ability must be immaterial due to the immaterial nature of the concept - a "class" or "universal" that cannot by definition be material and hence not merely an act of the physical brain.
Adler is fair throughout his contention. As an example he admits that his immateriality position would be falsified by a "Turing machine" a computer robot that would be able to communicate with humans via propositional words and sentence formation. This is the third prong of the "Cartesian Challenge" as asserted by Rene Descartes centuries ago. If a purely physical machine can achieve conceptual thought and propositional language, then Adler admits his immateriality theory on which conceptual thought is based would be falsified.
The benefits of this work go far beyond the main issue of human/animal distinction. The bibliography is outstanding. The footnotes are insightful and nearly comprise a second work on their own. Peripheral issues such as theories of human knowledge ala Locke, Kant, and the Aristotelian "triadic" relation of words - concepts - object are explained here along with a lucid discussion of "intention" and "meaning". Most importantly, the final chapter illustrates why such a discussion on the distinction between man and animal is important highlighting the relevant moral and theological questions that are implicated by the results.
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Noteworthy
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12624696 - 05/25/10 07:14 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Lakefingers said: Inquiring minds want to know how everything is a construct of the human mind, except that very insight.
Why wouldn't the insight also be a mental event? Why can't everything, including such a theory, be mind events?
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Lakefingers
Registered: 08/26/05
Posts: 6,440
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism *DELETED* [Re: Icelander]
#12624740 - 05/25/10 07:31 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Post deleted by Lakefingers
Reason for deletion: "
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fireworks_god
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Mr. Mushrooms]
#12624755 - 05/25/10 07:38 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mr. Mushrooms said:
Quote:
Lakefingers said: Other thinkers conclude the opposite and in the face of the lack of evidence, try to place man in the center of creation.
What lack of evidence? The evidence is abundant.
What does it mean to be the "center of creation", in your opinion?
-------------------- If I should die this very moment I wouldn't fear For I've never known completeness Like being here Wrapped in the warmth of you Loving every breath of you
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Lakefingers
Registered: 08/26/05
Posts: 6,440
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Mr. Mushrooms]
#12624756 - 05/25/10 07:38 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mr. Mushrooms said: What lack of evidence? The evidence is abundant. And other philosophers recognize the evidence and what it indicates.
What evidence places us in the middle of creation? The fact that our culture and psychology does so yes, but not that we are the center of all reality. Lanza only demonstrates that perception creates it, but fails to get into the true questions about that perception. Also he admits that there are things without perception. He went overboard on Lockean secondary qualities mixed with idealism.
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Mr. Mushrooms
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12624768 - 05/25/10 07:44 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Lakefingers said:
Quote:
Mr. Mushrooms said: What lack of evidence? The evidence is abundant. And other philosophers recognize the evidence and what it indicates.
What evidence places us in the middle of creation? The fact that our culture and psychology does so yes, but not that we are the center of all reality. Lanza only demonstrates that perception creates it, but fails to get into the true questions about that perception. Also he admits that there are things without perception. He went overboard on Lockean secondary qualities mixed with idealism.
I wouldn't say we are in the center of creation, but we are, undoubtedly, at its zenith. The alternative view is that man was created by God and the universe for man. We cannot answer that question with empirical investigation.
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Mr. Mushrooms
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Mr. Mushrooms]
#12624780 - 05/25/10 07:47 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mr. Mushrooms said: Yet, our knowledge of ourselves makes it abundantly clear we are at the top of creation with our ability to reason.
I was being literal. I meant top, not center.
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fireworks_god
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Mr. Mushrooms]
#12624789 - 05/25/10 07:55 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mr. Mushrooms said: I wouldn't say we are in the center of creation, but we are, undoubtedly, at its zenith.
With the consideration that its altogether possible that there are other lifeforms on different planets in this "creation", how can it be undoubted that we are the culmination of existence? I think that this possibility alone is enough reason to have at least some doubt. Then, of course, we trail into the matter of precisely what is to be considered the zenith of existence, and who designates this definition.... "I'm the greatest! By my own standards!"
-------------------- If I should die this very moment I wouldn't fear For I've never known completeness Like being here Wrapped in the warmth of you Loving every breath of you
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Icelander
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Registered: 03/15/05
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12624980 - 05/25/10 09:13 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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In the book Lanza even mentions how biocentrism is supposed to ease death anxiety by providing answers that science fails to and religion inaccurately tries to.
Please PM me these "answers" I need them post haste. Thanks in advance.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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Lakefingers
Registered: 08/26/05
Posts: 6,440
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Mr. Mushrooms]
#12625463 - 05/25/10 11:27 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mr. Mushrooms said: I wouldn't say we are in the center of creation, but we are, undoubtedly, at its zenith. The alternative view is that man was created by God and the universe for man. We cannot answer that question with empirical investigation.
Its zenith?
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Mr. Mushrooms
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: fireworks_god]
#12625660 - 05/25/10 12:15 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
fireworks_god said:
Quote:
Mr. Mushrooms said: I wouldn't say we are in the center of creation, but we are, undoubtedly, at its zenith.
With the consideration that its altogether possible that there are other lifeforms on different planets in this "creation", how can it be undoubted that we are the culmination of existence? I think that this possibility alone is enough reason to have at least some doubt. Then, of course, we trail into the matter of precisely what is to be considered the zenith of existence, and who designates this definition.... "I'm the greatest! By my own standards!"
I admit we do not have certitude for that assumption. After all, there is precious little certitude to be found anywhere. Having said that, however, we must admit that the "standard," as you like to call it, is a product of the mind, of which we only know one species that possesses it.
I find it humorous that some with a built-in materialist defense mechanism look at all the technology that we have created and automatically discount it. This is an example of what I said yesterday about people looking at the facts in the face and still believing what they want to believe. Follow the evidence?!?! Nah, not me. I've got a ideology to defend.
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Mr. Mushrooms
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Re: Irresistible Egocentrism Mixed With Revamped Idealism [Re: Lakefingers]
#12625691 - 05/25/10 12:21 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Lakefingers said:
Quote:
Mr. Mushrooms said: I wouldn't say we are in the center of creation, but we are, undoubtedly, at its zenith. The alternative view is that man was created by God and the universe for man. We cannot answer that question with empirical investigation.
Its zenith?
Yes, zenith.
4. The point of culmination; the peak: the zenith of her career.
Whether created by God or the product of evolution we are the culmination, the end and the top. There is no animal as great as man. None ever were, none ever will be. We are the King.
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