Life and consciousness

[Smegma]

well, If I was purely a brain, I wouldn't have a sub-conscious, so there must be something that's separating the consciousness.

How do you arrive at that conclusion?

[ginn]

well, If I was purely a brain, I wouldn't have a sub-conscious, so there must be something that's separating the consciousness.

How do you arrive at that conclusion?

Simple problem solving.
Get situation, figure out a way without thinking about it.
I guess easiest found in maths, where you can simply calculate things without thinking at the calculations.

[Mangled*]

Ah good. I have stimulated debate amongs people. This pleases me.

Now when we know our consciousness is affected by our brain and body, we could start comparing ourselves to animals. Like we can, animals can too socialize, very much more primitive might be added, but there's still more than just primitive reflexes.
In other words, the only thing that differentiate us from animals is how our intelligence lets us have a much more 'controlled' perception of the world.

Intelligence actually doesn't differentiate us from other animals. It's not the deciding factor in all of this actually...

It's a combination of what I consider to be three essential 'traits' that have brought us to where we are as a species:

Firstly is brain size, which more often than not equates to mental capability. There are other species who have large brains as well as us and we are very aware of their potential to be as intelligent. An easy example would be apes that have been successfully taught to communicate with humans through sign language. Elephants and dolphins also display high levels of creativity, curiosity and altruism that is directly associated with having large intelligence capacity.

Secondly is intricate vocal capability. Very few species actually have this, particularly not intelligent species. This is required for advanced communication and sharing information and ideas which allows a society to be established.

Thirdly is opposable thumbs which of course actually allow us to apply ourselfs to making things like tools, shelters and also writing.

Without any of these three traits we would not be where we are today as a species. We are the only species that possesses all three. That is what makes us humans extremely successful.

We are our bodies. Our brains are our consciousness. We do exist, but we are not special and we are not consequential. There are no consequences of human existence outside of our solar system. Humans will either die out or diverge in evolution.

[Smegma]

Simple problem solving.

no, I mean, what line of reasoning concluded that if you have a sub-conscious you must be more than a brain?

[ginn]

Simple problem solving.

no, I mean, what line of reasoning concluded that if you have a sub-conscious you must be more than a brain?

If I really am the brain, I should have full control over my body.
We aren't limited to our senses, because then we wouldn't be able to move, think or even create memories.


@Mangled
1st. Brain size doesn't matter much, we humans have very compressed brains, while a whale has less so (I'm not sure about their brain size).
2nd. Many animals can manipulate their voice, owls for example has 2 voice boxes, so that they can take 2 tones at the same time.
3rd. Without our thumbs we would probably have had a harder way to evolve into todays world.
So yes, intelligence is the biggest difference between us and animals. Obviously those traits have helped us, but without our very superior intellect we would never have gotten this far.

We're on our way for space travel, though, unless science is proven wrong and faster than light travel is possible, it's going to take a few hundred years to get to another solar system.
So a ship which could sustain life for a smaller civilization for a few hundred years would have to be built.

[Smegma]

If I really am the brain, I should have full control over my body.
We aren't limited to our senses, because then we wouldn't be able to move, think or even create memories.

How would limiting to senses limit to those things?

How would consciousness being a property of the brain imply full control?

[ginn]

If I really am the brain, I should have full control over my body.
We aren't limited to our senses, because then we wouldn't be able to move, think or even create memories.

How would limiting to senses limit to those things?

How would consciousness being a property of the brain imply full control?

well, now you too are separating consciousness and the brain... what is it that separates it? that is the question.
I don't see why the brain would not let itself have control over itself, or even how it could do that.

afaik, there needs to be a reason for everything, and I cannot see a good reason for why full control wouldn't be available.


Another shady thing is that, if we're the brain, we're basically existing trough electricity, almost like a computer, but biological.
So why are there no computers right activist groups? :(

[Smegma]

So why are there no computers right activist groups?

Because they have not demonstrated certain aspects of consciousness

I don't see why the brain would not let itself have control over itself, or even how it could do that.

The brain can have full control over itself, if the consciousness is a subset of the brain, the brain could still have control over itself. Even if consciousness was overlapping, the brain could still have full control over itself.