Can Science Seek the Soul ? - 1 of 2

Discussion about the soul, if it exists or not, and if science can search for it. Part 1 of 2.

With panelists:

Fred Alan Wolf
Charles Tart
Dean Radin
John Searle
Warren Brown

Topics: soul, spirit, consciousness, spirituality, afterlife, life after death, obe, nde, quantum physics, psi, parapsychology, brain, mind and matter, scientism, materialism

Are we human beings having a spiritual experience, or are we spiritual beings having a human experience ?

Closer to Truth is a television series.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• soul
• spirit
• consciousness
• higher self
• astral body
• afterlife
• life after death
• nde
• quantum physics
• fred alan wolf
• charles tart
• mind matter
• psi
• materialism
• spirituality
• paranormal

[AnduinX]

I do not think that the mind can be reduced to the brain. In order to take the physicalist position one must ignore a great deal of subjective evidence from near death experiences, out of body experiences, past life regression, etc - as well as a great deal of scientific findings that directly conflict with physicalism, such as terminal lucidity and severe hydrocephalus.

[cosmicman01]

@AnduinX Telepathy, remote viewing, psychokinesis, genuine mediumship and deathbed visions are other phenomena that contradict the materialist position. I have to find out what severe hydrocephalus is.

[OrangePony75]

@andenandenia I actually think is the other way around. The very spirit of science demands us all to be open to that option.

[brgordon38]

This Video freezes at  8:33 ? :(

[Gtrplyr1]

a room full of interesting people.

[deanmullen10]

@AnduinX yep one theory that suits this perfectly is M-theory, its the idea there is an infinite number of universes so if that's true all possibilities will occur in a fraction of all universes and of course it will occur again and again. Though there is a paradox cause in one universe there'd be two exact copies of me and they could interact and would clearly be two separate individuals. then again perhaps universal space-time means nothing to my perception of my individual experiences.

[AnduinX]

@deanmullen10: Also, there is a quantum mechanism that could conceivably give rise to a brain of identical structure to your own called quantum vacuum fluctuations. Normally particles created during these fluctuations are eliminated immediately, but this does not always happen. A brain popping out of nowhere would be ridiculously improbable, but given a timeframe of infinity, it would certainly happen. Again and again.

[AnduinX]

@deanmullen10: Hypothetically if consciousness arose from the physical I think that you should not only wake up, but you would have a sense of continuity. The swapping of brains could be viewed simply as an accelerated version of what happens to us every few years when the matter in our brains is replaced. The fact that the composition of the brain changes proves that it doesn’t make a difference what matter composes our brains.

[AnduinX]

@deanmullen10: Even though I disagree that consciousness is a physical construct, I'm pleasantly surprised, you're view is much less nihilistic and depressing than that of most materialists. It reminds me of a thought experiment I had a while ago. Given that all of the matter that composes the brain is replaced every so many years naturally, if somebody were to surgically remove your brain and replace it with an *exact* duplicate, what would wake up on the operating table?

[deanmullen10]

@AnduinX Well that's just the basics like its to show that its feasible. Like if it shows to be possible and even if you can't think of a theory that works immediately its work looking into. One theory I have is that if there is boundaries beyond space-time then perhaps certain places, time and objects within that space-time can in some sense repeat since space-time may end in a more higher sense then what we consider ending. Or maybe an exact copy of my brain re-produces my consciousness.

[AnduinX]

@deanmullen10: I have heard of this view, that consciousness is the combined processes of the brain, but everybody who has voiced such a view to me also believed that when the brain ceases to function so does consciousness. I guess that's why I'm a bit confused by your stance, if you believe consciousness to be an illusionary byproduct of the brain, then how do you believe it persists when the brain no longer functions? That is what you're saying I'm assuming? As you spoke of an 'afterlife'.

[deanmullen10]

@AnduinX Well there is no evidence to say that consciousness is part of the group which contains information, matter and energy. well okay I wouldn't say its not real but its more like an illusion in my opinion, consciousness is a form of biological software. for e.g. this web page appears to be a single solid website yet nevertheless all you are observing is various colours produces by a lot of pixels.

So maybe not real is not the right statement but rather not literal or an illusion.