Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre  Sorry, poor word choice on my part.
Exactly. That consciousness is a process, and one which is both subject to our will, but also subject to the demands of our senses. It's comprised of both awareness (which can be directed) and a state of arousal (which is not within our direct control, though it can be influenced wilfully). And that it cannot be separated from the body, though it is possible to feel as if it can be. Deep meditative states cause sensory input to quieten and diffuse, but it has always been possible to direct my awareness to those inputs. So I have to accept that consciousness is part of my body (including the brain). |
I understand what you are saying, but I keep returning to the question - why then, is there consciousness? I can accept that intelligence can evolve as a biological necessity, so why isn’t this universe without consciousness? Is it just a sheer fluke of nature, an accidental chemical interaction, which produced it?
If mankind didn’t exist, do you think there would still be consciousness (perhaps in animals and plants)?
What would need to be demonstrated for you to be convinced that consciousness is more than an individual phenomenon of the brain, which dies when the brain dies?