X-Message-Number: 32221
References: <>
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:17:16 -0600
Subject: Re: CryoNet #32213 - #32218
From: Freeposity <>

On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 4:00 AM, CryoNet <> wrote:
> Message #32215
> From: David Stodolsky <>
> Subject: Re: Grim story on cryonics
> Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:49:50 +0100
> References: <>
>
> On 13 Dec 2009, at 11:00 AM, Luke Parrish wrote:
>>
>>>>> Furthermore, irrational violence is neurological in nature,
>>>
>>>
>>> No. TMT shows this is false. See:
>>>
>>> http://www.ernestbecker.org/
>>>
>>
>> TMT is fascinating, but I do not see how it negates the point that all
>> human behavior, irrational violence included, is neurological in
>> nature.
>> Understanding how neurons fire is going to give future society a heck
>> of a lot more understanding about why people are violent and how to
>> prevent it.
>>
>> I don't see how a literate person could reach any contrary conclusion.
>> TMT is completely irrelevant to my point.
>
> In science, the rule is "Simplicity is more correct," that is, Occam's
> (1285-1349) razor:
>
> "one should not increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of
> entities required to explain anything."
>
> http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/occamraz.html
>
>
> In this case, we do not need a neurological entity to explain
> irrational violence. TMT shows it is resulting from basic human
> intellectual abilities, such as the ability to visualize a future
> event, etc.
>
> You could also say irrational violence is physical in nature,
> therefore, a better understanding of quantum mechanics will allow a
> more peaceful society. Few have embarked on this venture.
>

No, not really. Basic human intellectual abilities are neurological in
nature. There are key structures in the brain that affect all sorts of
human behaviors. There is a drug that is very helpful to people with
parkinson's disease, however with some patients it turns them into
compulsive gamblers. We are ruled by our neurons more than we'd like
to admit. The amount of evidence that supports this is staggering.

I strongly recommend reading, "How We Decide" by Jonah Lehrer. It's a
fascinating read about metacognition and neurology.

In this book the author tells the story of a man who was a teacher and
a family man. A man who was well respected in his community. All of
the sudden he started getting into child porn and admitted himself to
the hospital because of severe headaches and the strong urge to rape
his neighbor. They found a brain tumor that was the cause of this
abborent behavior.

I'd also strongly recommend going to any lecture by Lehrer. He's a
great speaker, I could listen to him speak for hours.




-- 
Your friendly neighborhood agnostic atheist
and reality based hope monger

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