malf
Member
A thread on another part of the forum:
A reply:
As Paul points out:
Hmmm... Good point.
Explain that skeptics...
Overall answer - no. To be precise it does look as if consciousness evolved, that is that it slowly deepened and complexified over vast amounts of time based on the paleontological record. But the how and why of this evolution are mysteries, and that this evolution occurred does not amount to an understanding of consciousness itself. See my post http://www.skeptiko-forum.com/threads/humans-and-nature-animals.781/page-2#post-18891 for one very rough suggestion. This is sort of playing with ideas. At first glance just the fact of gradual evolution seems to be incompatible with spiritual belief, but on further thought it really is not. I think some sort of hypothesis of preexisting spirit expressing in living matter through evolution is better (or the coevolution of both spirit and living matter), and would be more in accordance with psi and afterlife evidence and spiritual belief systems.
A reply:
Your response surprised me. Perhaps I misjudged you when I put you on ignore. I have reversed that decision now.
As Paul points out:
Wait, but how did you know?
~~ Paul
Hmmm... Good point.
Explain that skeptics...