X-Message-Number: 8337
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: Re: CryoNet #8335 - #8336
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 1997 10:14:13 -0700 (PDT)

Hi again!

The interesting thing that has been happening about consciousness in the 
neuroscientific world is that many have come to believe that it can be
studied empirically, just as any other phenomenon in the world. Yes, any
strain of scientific study does involve a philosophy about it, but that is
hardly the only thing.

While purely philosophical discussions on ANY subject have never gone 
anywhere, we will at least learn a great deal more about how our brain works
if we follow the empirical scientific thread. And we may very well decide
that this is a subject which CANNOT be sensibly discussed without reference
to experiments. 

At one time people thought they could understand how the skies worked 
simply by philosophy. Then telescopes were discovered. I too find it hard
to be convinced by any purely philosophical discussion of consciousness;
but the experimental work now going on gives lots more insight than a
whole encyclopedia of philosophy. I believe that discussions of consciousness
on Cryonet would improve if such experiments were taken into account, at 
least.

			Long long life,

				Thomas Donaldson

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8337