Post by Yvette Garcia on Nov 13, 2015 2:49:39 GMT
FINAL EXAMINATION Yvette Garcia
Introduction to Philosophy Philosophy 5
Professor David C. Lane Fall 2015
Guideline: Be sure to use pertinent quotes from the required films/books to back up your arguments.
1. Name: Yvette Garcia
2. Your midterm grade (before and after revisions): C-
3. Complete list of all your essays answers as required per week (includes everything you have done for the semester).
Essay Questions: Week One & Two
1. Why was Socrates sentenced to death?
Socrates is arguably one great philosophical thinker that has ever lived on this earth. His way of thinking has left mankind dumbfounded by his teachings. At the old age of 70 years old, he was taken to trial. He was taken to trial on two major charges “he did not believe in the gods recognized by the state, the other he had corrupted the Athenian youth by his teachings.” Lane Page (2) What Socrates did to defend himself was eye-catching to me as he neither denies or confesses the first accusation, but he does show that in several instances he conformed to the religious customs of his country. Socrates also is able to speak his mind because he is uninfluenced by the fear of that imaginary evil and death. He also defends himself in the second charge by having a cross examination with one of his accusers, a man by the name of Milieus. He reduces to the dilemma of charging him with corrupting the youth, making him not liable for the punishment. In Socrates’ closing argument he says death is going to take him to a better happier place. People believed in the underworld and thought that death was horrific, but Socrates had a different view on that. Socrates’ was sentenced to drinking the poisonous hemlock, even when he was about to die he was still the cheerful person. He was letting us know that he was genuine in what he was preaching. “Criteo thereupon asks if he has any commands go give, Socrates answers with his usual cheerfulness “just as you please, if only you can catch me”.” Lane (Page 79)
2. Why is there a conflict (for some) between science and religion?
Religion has always been a mean for people to have answers to questions they’ve never known, creation of stories gave a way for people to understand and not seem lost of how their world was created. Religion also gives hope for mankind for it preaches the idea of an after life, where people will be judged accordingly for their actions, as this creates a series that checks and balances in one's life. Science on the other hand offers theories that are not proven and backed in the real world giving one a dilemma in believing it. I think many people who are afraid of people who believe in science because they think they will love this world and commit to many grave sins. This type of thinking is wrong because people who believe in science want to do good. Many people often say that religion has limitations, but in reality science has the same or even more. The video limits of science it goes in depth talking about the limitations science faces. “Einstein's limitation of light is theory where people cannot see all types of light.” (limitations of science) Another interesting point made in the book Matter Vs Spirit is that god cannot be explained by science rather is supernatural in beyond nature. “The only way to do this for theists is to posit that God is outside of time and space; that is, God is beyond nature—super nature, or supernatural—and therefore cannot be explained by natural causes.” Lane (Page 32) “The limits of our skull are the limits of our understanding” ( limits of science) this quote can be useful because it shows that sometimes our minds are incapable of thinking that there is higher deity.
Week 3 & 4: Essay Questions
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy?
To answer this question I am going to use a quote from the book Quantum Weirdness, “Deep understanding of the very limits of the scientific enterprise and how human investigations of objective phenomena are intimately limited by its own apparatus. This raises a philosophical conundrum which is age-old.” (p. 15). Many people think that physics and understanding the general rules of the universe are the only viable ways to answer many of the questions on this planet and in the universe, but to me having a deep knowledge in physics and truly understanding it will unlock the hidden potential this universe has to offer. Physics and philosophy are both intertwined in a way that they both need each other to work, philosophy requires one to have a background in the sciences and understanding how the universe works. For if you're trying to prove your theory that u make a mistake at one level in your argument it collapses because it is completely wrong. The quote I used above is a good example of why we can't always trust science to answer our questions, it is revolving around them, in this course it is that we are limited to our own apparatus. That is why we need philosophy more than ever for it does not put computation ahead of conceptual clarity and can lead to confusion.
In the very interesting video “Quantum Uncertainty: Einstein Doesn't Gamble”, it talks about how Einstein was fundamentally problematic and also shows that science can be wrong too.
2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it.
Eliminative materialism is the process of using a systematic set of processes that doesn't circulate around the use of common sense, rather the fundamentals of subjects that we know like mathematics, science, sociology and psychology. In the video eliminative materialism part one it talks about how “If the phenomena could not be explained fully and comprehensible to mathematics then one turns to physics and if that doesn't work to chemistry than to biology then to psychology.” There are three examples that our professor gave us that we can use for eliminative materialism in the video “Eliminative Materialism” the first one is that instead of talking about the God of thunder Thor we talk about electromagnetic currents that were around us. The second example is instead of talking about spirits as the causes of diseases we talked about bacteria's and viruses as the real causes of diseases. The third example in the video, it talked about how we used to believe that there were tiny little ghosts pulling on our muscles then we later talked about how we have a central nervous system. We eliminated physiological beliefs in the past and now rely- on the hard sciences for our answers, which I believe is the right way to do things.
Week 5 & 6:
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
The theory of evolution is so important to understand for it shows on how human beings behave. It shows how we evolved to where we are at now, there is a step by step process showing where we came and how far we were able to evolve to the advanced species we are today. The theory of evolution states in order for us to evolve we must mutate and when we mutate some of the genes that are bad don’t get used but the genes that will benefit us do get used. I think this is astonishing on how through process of mutation we pick genes that are most suited for us to flourish into better species so we can prosper long lives. "We now have convincing proof that evolution occurs when accidental mutations create features such as spots or stripes that impart an advantage for attracting mates, hiding from or confusing predators, or gaining access to food," (Page 15) Asking why is also vital in the theory of evolution because it shows that we behave in a manner that questions the state of where we are at and that were always looking for the best answer to better our lives on a daily basis. In the video of Pivotal consciousness it states “any organism that can develop a mental pivoting tool will develop new and tremendous strategies” if we are always questioning what is around us we will we always be bettering ourselves.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
To me the evolutionary theory cannot answer the question of what is the point of living without a purpose. Some people might say that it is simple there is no purpose to life and that we are here by random coincidence. Critical thinkers of higher education can come to simple reason that this thinking is not viable but irrational for someone to think so. The purpose I feel is what really drives the human race, a tired parent who works 2 full time jobs just to feed her kids, has a purpose and drive to make her kids not starve. On page 32 of The DNA of Consciousness it talks about how we need purpose it goes as follows "We cannot live without purpose, even if that purpose is an adaptive fiction evolved over eons of time designed to blind those with such sentiments from the truth that nature has no such sentiment.” This quote proves that we do need purpose in our lives and without it there is no point in living. In the video “Evolutionary Imperative” it talks about how every organism is competing because nature is competitive and if we don't have purpose to be competitive we would die off.
Week 7 & 8
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
“Consciousness is a fantastic virtual simulator and because of its inclusivity and insular engineering it has an inherent tendency to believe its own machinations as exterior to itself and not as the byproduct of its own interiority.” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 75)
Both of the assigned readings this week share a similar idea: thanks in part to the new discoveries or modern science, the world we see, hear, touch, and feel around us is NOT as it appears in our minds. In the Our consciousness - a sense of one's personal or collective identity, including the attitudes, beliefs, and sensitivities held by or considered characteristic of an individual; special awareness – is a virtual simulator inside our head that perceives and believes in the things our senses help us determine and understand the world around us. Our mind simulates the situations we experience on a daily basis and we act accordingly based on our understanding of accepted human behaviors, rules, and experiences.
In reading “Is the Universe an App?” the theory of consciousness as a virtual is discussed extensively. Gerald Edelman in an interview with Discover Magazine describes humans as having two fundamental forms of awareness. The primary, he explains is a state of awareness held by animals that allows them to live only within their present state of being and not having any consciousness of the past or present. In contrast, Edelman explains that humans are “conscious of being conscious” as we can recall past memories, ideas, or experiences while also being capable of planning or deciding future decisions and experiences. Edelman describes our “consciousness of being conscious” as the second form of awareness and it is our “evolutionary advantage” that has taken humankind to where it is today.
“Arguably, consciousness is a virtual simulator, apparently evolved over eons of time to enable mammals with higher brain functions to “in source” varying options of how to respond to a disparate array of problems before “out sourcing” them (hence the Darwinian advantage).” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 107)
Another interesting topic involving consciousness is the description of the Chandian Effect – the experience of certainty. (is the Universe an App, Pg. 109) The Chandian Effest relates to our ability to make plans, decisions, and have hopes and dreams for what we want in our lives. The Chandian Effect allows our minds to accept the world around us for what it is. The Chandian Effect has different levels and expressions tha make up our reality such as being awake or dreaming. The Chandian Effect can best be described as “a pattern of awareness we can see that our lives are simply natural progressions of consciousness from various boundaries within.” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 110)
Another interesting topic in this week’s reading was the contrast in opinion of the state of consciousness between Richard Feynman and John Lilly. Lilly held a point of view about consciousness in our own minds as that what “we believe to be true is true or becomes true” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 119) He believes that there are no limits to how we see the world in our own state of minds. Feynman argues this point by providing the idea that “the imagination that things are real does not represent true reality.” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 116) Both of their beliefs lead to the idea of a Neural Paradox where we as individuals do not do not judge or interpret our experiences for what they are, but instead by what we believe in or the opinions we have about our own experiences.
In conclusion, the virtual simulation theory of consciousness is something humankind is beginning to scratch the surface on in terms of philosophical and psychological concepts and ideas based on our understanding or consciousness and the world around us. As we continue in our pursuit to fully understand the world around us, it seems that there are many things we cannot comprehend at this time and our state of consciousness may not be what it appears to be or what it has been accepted a for many years. As technology and further research develop in the future, humans already have and will continue to make progress in understanding the reality of what are consciousness is.
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
I think the brain tricks us by stimulating virtual realities. For example, when we see an illusion we can suddenly believe in it when it is actually only an illusion not a reality. The benefit to our brain is that it will always keep our body stay alive long enough so that the genetic codes can be passed down. Another interesting thing about our brain is that brain actually tricks people so they can live another day. In the film "Brain Burn: Consciousness as a Virtual Simulator", it explains that “…most of our awareness is ‘in’ our head, it doesn’t have to face the very real and empirical and deathly consequences of being ‘without.’” This indicates that people got a better chance to survive than animals because animals do not have consciousness like normal people do.
The brain can sometimes trick us into perceiving something as reality and real when really it is not. This is stated in the book the Universe an App,"the brain tricks us into believing its own machinations as something that is not. A prime example would be in the short film the The Disneyland of Consciousness discusses how the conscious of a human being has a process that it follows and we may not have as much control of it as we may think. We tend to perceive things the way they appear at first and then once we “realize” things are not as they seem, we have difficulty accepting such. As this short film brings to light, animatronics are so humanly simulated that this is a great example of such by “tricking the eye and mind” to believe the robot is an actual human being. ” The brain does this to keep us alive long enough to reproduce. The brains trickery benefits us, so we last long enough to continue our genetic line so we do not go extinct.
Week 9 & 10
1. Do you think artificial intelligence will be a significant problem in the future?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) — the study of the design of intelligent systems and machines —makes life easier for everyone. AIfrom software that can recognize animals and objects, to digital assistants that carry out user commands. However, there are skeptics of AI and the ability it has to surpass or even end the human race, potentially. Artificial intelligence is a wide and dynamic area of research at the moment, but personally I do not agree with the opinion that AI will supersede or eliminate the human race, at least not in my lifetime. Undoubtedly, AI could have many benefits to some of the most important issues and problems facing mankind today such as helping to end modern warfare, eradicating disease, eliminating poverty, and making more scientific and technological advances. Creating AI or intelligent machines that could provide such astounding aide to the human race would be one of the biggest achievements in human history.
2. How has technology impacted your life?
Technology has impacted me life in much more positive ways than negative. I feel fortunate to have grown up in an era when technology really had a fascinating boom. The creation of the internet sparked a lot of new possibilities to help people in so many different areas of life – school, work, business, etc. I also saw the beginning of the rise of social media with programs like “AOL Instant Messenger” and “MySpace” all the way to more diverse and superior forms of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twittr, etc. The rise of personal technology such as cell phones, tablets, and other devices have become essential in our lives today with capabilities that improve our quality of life and assist us in ways we now have become so accustomed to. Personally, technology has helped me in so many areas of my life. The most significant area of my life that has been impacted by technology is my education. Today, technology has thrived in the classroom and has become a vital asset to teachers and students. Technology has also provided me with the ability to reach information is seconds. I can use the web to gather any research or information for anything I need. It is truly remarkable to me how far technology has come thus far, and I cannot wait to see the advances we make in the future.
Week 11 and 12
1. Why is Faqir Chand's experiences important in understanding the projective nature of religious visions and miracles?
Faqir Chand's experiences are important in understanding the projective nature of religious visions and miracles because he was acknowledged and accepted as an influential religious figure that offered his personal experiences to society. At a time when Faqir Chand was potentially facing death, he provides insight about a vision he had that helped to save his life, as well as others. This “vision” was admired and honored for its impact on his lives and the lives of others. Fascinated by his vision and visions of others, Chand set out to investigate these visions by placing himself at various near-death scenarios to further understand the projection of miracles within nature. Chand had an unrivaled understanding of the mind and how it could use energy from within to push limits and boundaries, and even escape near-death experiences. In the book "The Unknowing Sage" Chand explains this energy from within: “I came to believe that the Master is no separate entity. Rather, He is the disciple’s Real Life Self and resided within” (Pg. 31). Chand has a very powerful message within the frame of this quote. Often in our society, culture and religion we look and refer to that “energy” or “transcendent” form or higher being as something above us or watching over us. Given Chand’s experiences and perspectives, we must acknowledge the idea that there is an energy or force that lies within our own mind and body.
2. What is meant by the phrase, "philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy."
The phrase "philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy" refers to the idea that the investigations that stem from important questions of philosophy that can lead to discussion and results based on factual evidence, much like science. Detailed facts and evidence based on investigations, observations, examinations, can support or refute any claims or ideas for almost any relevant subject matter. The idea that philosophy and science are intertwined reveals itself again. Advances and answers to questions in science rely on experiments based on many trials. During trials or experiments observations are recorded that will support and/or disregard any hypothesis. Observations of these trials and experiments lead to findings called evidence. Philosophy has the ability to answer questions much like science. And currently, in today’s world our scientific and technological advances have allowed us to use science as a means to answer philosophical observations, ideas, and questions. A hypothesis or idea cannot be supported, accepted, or disregarded without facts/evidence to support it. Essentially, if the process in trying to answer questions or prove theories and ideas is done correctly and recorded truthfully and accurately, new developments and/or findings can be determined.
4. Have you done all of the required reading?
Yes, I have completed all 9 (Books) of the required readings for the course and downloaded them through the free PDF option. (Thank you, that was very helpful to give us the option to be able to download the books.)
5. Have you watched all of the required films?
I have viewed all of the required films for the course. Thank you for them as they were very interesting to watch. My husband enjoyed watching them along with me and he also found them very interesting. I enjoy reading but it was nice to see and hear about philosophy.
6. What does the author mean by “cerebral mirage”? Why is it important to know about brain deceptions for those studying consciousness? Give examples from the reading.
“The Cerebral Image: The Deceptive Nature of Awareness”, introduces the idea that the world around us is not exactly as we perceive it to be. Modern science and its discoveries has led us to a new approach on how we study, analyze, and comprehend the idea of consciousness. Neuroscience, evolutionary biology and quantum physics have revealed that human reality is a “relative” concept that is based “upon a scaffolding of information bits that betray their real origin and causation.” (Lane) “Mind Tricks” along with the deceptiveness of the human mind, expresses a major concern that we think, believe, and fell may or may not be real. The book also discusses how our mind interprets the world around us and may or may not form “illusions” of our interpretation of reality. However, these “perceptions and illusions” that we have in our minds have been somewhat of a benefit for humankind, adaptation, and survival. The author describes the idea of the “Maya” that describes “what we feel and see in our world to be real is anything but real.” Idealists and philosophers of ancient India, Greece, and other countries of the Middle East describe the Maya as the idea that the world is an illusion. This idea or concept puts in question the idea of our perceived reality and state of consciousness and possibly contradicts everything we have previously believed to be true about how we process and receive information in our minds. In the text, Emerson describes our cerebral illusions fall victim to time, nature, and even or own senses. The text cites that in order for us to understand human cognition we must “first understand the historical context from which it initially arose over time. Simply put, a theory of human consciousness necessitates a deep understanding of biological evolution and natural selection, since it is the guiding mechanism for why certain species flourish and others decay into extinction. Consciousness, therefore, is a contextual medium as well as a communicative one.”(Cerebral Image, Pg. 14) The evolution of the human mind has led to the progress of our species. The text also indicates that we should be cautious of how our brains can trick us or manipulate or reality when we venture off into “different realms of awareness” that we mind find ourselves in future investigations and studies of human intelligence and consciousness. Our ancestral past is another indicator of how human judgements and assumptions using sensory perception have led to our continued existence. We all understand and comprehend how ou brains work and how we “perceive” consciousness. WE know when using our brains to think, analyze, or interpret ideas or concepts. Ultimately the evolution of the human mind has turned us into highly effective beings that can process, interpret, study, and analyze complex information, topics, concepts, ideas, etc. However, as technology continues to advance and scientists continue to make new discoveries of how the human mind works and the concept of consciousness, me must come to the realization that we are witnessing the possible beginning of a new and reformed idea of what consciousness really is and how our brains function and process information to determine our own reality.
7. What is the theme behind the Disneyland of Consciousness?
The “Disneyland of Consciousness” talks about the “audio-animatronic” device that was a machine that looked like and spoke Mr. Abraham Lincoln. In addition, the holographic projections and machines in rides such as The Pirates of the Caribbean ride and The Haunted Mansion were also perceived to be real by Professor Lane and his friend. The idea of the film discusses how our brains can be tricked or “DOOPED” into seeing and hearing something and believing it is real. The nature of our awareness is described as “objectifying our own personas in various guards and believe them to be ontologically apart from our own neural projections.” The film talks about consciousness as a virtual simulator. However, we do not even possess the “full and complete” access to our minds. WE are “unaware” of how all the processes and functions of how our mind and body works, nor what it may or may not be truly capable of.
8. Is Consciousness physical? Explain your answer (pro or con). Be sure to substantiate your argument.
Consciousness can be described as the “state of awareness” within individuals or any other living thing. Essentially, we believe our consciousness to be our perception and ability to use our senses to determine and understand the world around us. We “physically” see, hear, touch, taste, and smell the world around us every day. There is a definite physical experience when using our senses. Our senses identify things around us and send messages to our brain for us to make a determination of the world around us. While our brain receives and identifies these messages and other parts of the body help us to make these determinations, in a sense this is a physical process because we use our minds and other parts of the body to make such interpretations or determinations. The relationship between human “consciousness” and its relationship to the “the structure of matter” – electrons, protons, neurons, atoms, molecules – is being studied all over the world by scientists, psychologists, and physicists. Our technological advances have led to new discoveries that have humans, living things, and essentially the entire Universe is all made of “ENERGY”. This has led to the idea that our “consciousness” and our physical “reality” are indeed intertwined.
9. Do you believe we are living in a computer simulation? Be sure to research your answer before detailing your response.
Popular movies such as “The Matrix” trilogy present the idea that we are living in a “cyber-world” where humans and essentially the universe as we know it is part of a computer-generated reality created by our previous human ancestors. The idea is widely accepted by philosophers and physicists around the world. However, for this idea to be true, humanity would have had to develop and make significant advances in technology for us to replicate a state of consciousness in the minds of humans in computers. Currently, we do not have the technology to replicate such a “reality” in computer systems, although, we may have the potential to do so, or have already done so. Future technology may have the ability to “simulate” systems that involve living things and organisms, like humans for example. If advances in technology give us the “possibility” to re-create a virtual universe, then the idea that we may be already living in a virtual world may be true, and it is “possible” that we are being virtually recreated by our human ancestors. Even if this is true, however, our ability to determine and identify if we are actually living in a virtually simulated world may not be possible. As humans, or computer simulated being, how can we determine whether or not we are actually in a “virtually simulated world”? If we as humans are being simulated, it is very possible that our entire Universe is being simulated as well. It would take a lot of time for humanity to recreate such a phenomena, but then again as I mentioned early, how would we even know now that we actually are in a computer simulated reality? I do not believe we have the capability to do so now and it would take generations for us to do so. And if we did live in a computer simulated world there is probably nothing we could do now to verify this argument. Humanity has made so many advances, adaptations, progressions and developments that I do not want to believe the idea that a computer is controlling all of it or even allowing it to happen. The technological advances we have made is the only reason that a virtually simulated theory of the world or universe has been brought to light, however, it took many generations and years for us to develop. The idea that our Universe as we know it has been virtually simulated does not seem realistic to me at this time, although I do acknowledge it may be true and future generations may have the capability to create such a virtual universe given the rapid rate of advances in technology.
10. What is Issac Asimov’s theory of self-reflective awareness (hint: it is in the film, The Sandcastle of awareness).
Issac Asimov, In the film “Sandcastle of Awareness”, describes the essence of “informational theory” He compares “selfhood” or the consciousness and identity of an individual to a sand castle. He goes on to say the sandcastle si made of tiny grains of sand. However, he suggests that the “architecture cannot be reduced to just one bit since it is the totality of how those bits are compiled that makes all the difference.” If you reconfigure the grains of sand you could create other forms such as a “moat, a tower or an underground tunnel.” He compares the “the self” or the idea of selfhood as a “result of a vast network of intersecting bits of matter, including neurons, synapses, dendrites, axons, and chemical electrical fluid.” If we did not have the ability to exercise these human and neural actions then human consciousness becomes almost impossible to comprehend, understand, or even exist.
11. Why does Patricia Churchland favor a “neural” theory of pain versus a “soul” theory of it?
Churchland favors a “neural” theory of pain versus a “soul” theory of pain because the nova cane described in the film blocks pain when a dentist freezes the nerve in the tooth. The injection of the nova cane shut down the neurons capacity to respond so no “pain signals” are sent to the brain. Nova cane prevents the neurons from signaling, but the amount of time that pain of blocked is only temporary. Eventually the ability for the neurons to respond will return and the pain will be felt. The nova cane does not act on the soul because the nova cane is physical and the soul is NOT. “Brain Science has the leg up on Soul Science” as the film suggests.
12. What flaws did the author find in Jeffrey Kripal’s paranormal arguments? Hint: it is in the chapter Understanding the Improbable in the required text DIGITAL PHILOSOPHY.
The flaws found in Jeffery Kripal’s paranormal arguments include:
• Kripal's hypotheses are based upon innuendo, prejudicial translation, and cultural misjudgments.
• In “Mark Twain’s Dream” Kripal fails to fill in some very necessary blanks with regard to the wife's dream vision of her husband's car accident.
• Kripal seems resistant to accepting is how amazing synchronicities and the like are actually destined to happen given the laws of probability and the theory of large numbers.
• Kripal's materialist summation does not capture what is happening across scientific disciplines.
• Kripal's does not acacknowledge diminishing impact that the humanities in general have in shaping intellectual discourse today, especially as the hard sciences have emerged as having a much greater influence.
• Kripal's worry is misguided and based on a fundamental misreading of what materialism portends.
• Kripal seems to be under the mistaken impression that relegating everything to a material basis somehow negates or eliminates the mystery of the universe at large and renders useless any cosmic feeling of importance that we may once have had.
• Kripal's “alleged impasse between matter and spirit.”
• There is no need have invited Plato back to academia if he has never left the building in the first place. Science welcomes all voices, even the most hyperbolic.
13. Why is the book dead? Do you agree or disagree with the article/film?
Even though times are changing quickly, there is still one fact that remains and that is that booklovers and authors will continue to flourish in some form. Long gone are the days where the traditional paperback book are the norm. Technology has revolutionized literature in the form of providing new platforms for authors and readers. Technological adcances such as Kindle, iBooks, and other e-reading developments have taken the literature world into a different “chapter”. In years to come “the digital revolution” will bring an end to the use of paperback books. E-books and e-publishing will signal and end to authors and writers professionally speaking. The “digital revolution” will not free writers or provide new platforms for creativity, but simply it will prove that writers provide their works of literature at inexpensive costs, or even for free. Professional writing has seen it paramount times pass.
14. Why is Faqir Chand’s life and work so important in understanding the illusory nature of religious visions? Be sure to give two examples from his life and work to back up your answer.
In “The Unknowing Sage” Faqir Chand discusse his philosophies on the illusory nature of religious visions and the limitations of knowledge, both rational and transmundane. Faqir Chand's experiences are important because it helps us to understand the nature of religious visions and miracles. In his own experiences, he was able to show that fear can be overcome. The book “The Unknowing Saga: The Life and Work of Faqir Chand” provides insight to his life and why he is still a significant figure even to this day. He believed all religious leaders were “ignorant about the real cause of miracles and the visions attributed with them.” In the video “Faqir Chand: Inner Visions and Running Trains”, we see the life of Faqir Chand. Faqir Chand's experiences are important in comprehending religious visions and miracles. Faqir Chand discovered the “secret” to ”inner visions and miracles.” The “secret” that Faqir Chand discovered about religion and its founders is that he himself hadn’t found the faith and enlightenment that he was seeking. Instead, he pointed out that the “secret” is revealed and found within our own investigations and experiences.
15. What is the remainder conjecture?
The “Remainder Conjecture” suggests that we use “any and all physical explanations” in advance before we begin to submit to what Paul Kurz called “The Transcendental Temptation” that implies that we impulsively disregard or accept ordinary and/or conventional explanations for certain common events. However, this does not imply that there cannot be something that surpasses our rational comprehensions or understandings. Instead, the best way to demonstrate this idea is to provide evidence to confirm that logical, ethical, and scientific explanations are inadequate and lack the ability to explain somehting. Often times we reach for the mystical or spiritual explanation for things, instead of participating or contributing into significant research or investigation. There are ideas, beliefs, and concepts that are currently beyond the explanation of the sciences and mathematics. However we must take the initiative to participate in significant research, questioning, experimentation, and recording of results so that we are not “DOOPED” or make mistakes due to human error.
16. What is Calvino’s metaphor and how should it humble us about making absolute statements in philosophy?
Calvino’s metaphor investigates the manner in which the “uses or abuses of urban metaphors” can advise differing organizations, societies, communities and other principles of human organization. Since its origin, “the city” has taken on a symbolic significance for human communities being one at same time, which provides a broad product of culture and jointly a supplier of pieces of artifacts and architecture that produce meaning within a cultural perspective. The city can be interpreted as a trope that operates bi-directionally in cultural terms. It is a sign that can be worked to serve the principles of both metonymy and synecdoche. In metonymical or reductive form, the city has the propensity to become substantial and stifling.
17. Why is understanding neuroscience vitally important in understanding human consciousness?
Personally, I believe understanding neuroscience is vitally important in understanding human consciousness because it is the scientific study of the nervous system. Previously, neuroscience has been viewed as a division of biology. However, currently it has grown into an interdisciplinary science that is intertwined with other fields of study that include philosophy. In the investigation of the “neuroscience of free will”, studies have displayed that the experiences people recall when they behave a certain way do not always have a parallel relation to their “actual behaviors” or to ”the patterns of electrical activity chronicled from their brains.” Our individual senses of consciousness that ultimately decide or initiate our actions and decisions is an illusion. Similarly, the indication that consciousness is unified continues to receive uncertainty and skepticism in present-day neuroscience. Previously, there seemed to be certain levels of consciousness and that can explain our state of being and awareness of our world around us. However, recent investigations and research have shown evidence from neuroscience that suggests this may be untrue.
18. Based on the three-part film, give a 250 summation of the “history” of philosophy. Be sure to mention who was your favorite philosopher and why.
Western Philosophy was strongly influenced by Western religion, politics, mathematics, and science. In ancient times, the word "philosophy" meant “all” things that intended to identify and understand logical and rational concepts and ideas of the world. The roots of Western Philosophy date back to 585 B.C. Western Philosophy saw witnessed the ascension of the Greek civilization who continued to make philosophical and scientific advances based on the foundations and fundamentals of earlier Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. Significant Greek achievements included the invention and advances in history, math, science, and philosophy. Philosophical Greek developments went on to influence European civilizations as well. Before the philosophical revolution of the West, religion controlled philosophical and scientific views and ideas. Western philosophy was significant in its time because it permitted and progressed the development of science that enabled philosophers and theorists to engage in a new perspective on life and its most significant questions. Some of the most influential philosophers ever came from this time period including: Thales, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, St. Augustine, St. Thomas de Aquinas, Plato and Aristotle. All of the men listed made significant contributions to the development of philosophy, science, mathematics, and politics. Together they contributed theories, ideas, and concepts that led to major developments in the philosophical and scientific realm. While all of the philosophers mentioned made their own significant contributions, personally, my favorite philosopher was Socrates. Socrates mission in life was to find wisdom. Unfortunately, his life mission ultimately led to his death. Socrates tried to find truth and wisdom that would allow himself and other to have the greatest opportunity at living a good life. In addition, he offered real insight into significant matters of the world. He suggested that people look inside themselves to find answers regarding wisdom, truth, and virtue. He also believed that people should value their soul more than anything else. Socrates developed a style of dialogue, conversation, questioning, debate, and development of ideas that aimed to seek the truth. Socrates often challenged original beliefs, theories, or ideas and examine them for further detail and explanation in order to develop a more complete understanding. His approach and style of seeking truth and knowledge of life later became known as “The Socratic Method” – process of which an individual could seek the truth while evaluating their personal thoughts, opinions, beliefs, ideas, and important questions about life. Critical thinking, another important aspect of the Socratic Method, was critical in attempting to determine and find real truth and knowledge about the purpose of life for man.
19. In the book the Circle of the Wise which philosopher did you find most agreeable? Why? Which philosopher did you find most disagreeable? Hint: which philosopher did you find yourself aligning with? Or disagreeing with?
After reading through Circle of the Wise, I found myself aligning with the philosopher/ professor David Blake from Loyola Marymount University. My two main reasons were because I really liked his answers to the questions, “does God exist?” and “what do you think happens to us after death?” I liked his first answer because he claims that he does believe in God, which I do as well. His second answer I enjoyed and found very interesting because he was very detailed in his answer, but yet it left me thinking. I disagreed with Professor Matson from U.C Berkley because they seemed to give off a very blunt or bored vibe. And that comes off as not caring about the question.
20. Compare and contrast three philosophers and their respective answers in the book Circle of the Wise.
When looking back at the question, “what do you think happens to us after death?” I came to the conclusion that almost all of the philosophers had about the same general broad answer. And that was that no one definitely answered it. All of them have their own idea, but if they gave an answer they said “I think” or “I’m not sure but…” Kaplan, Pippin, and Matson all gave the same answer: “nothing.” Other philosophers such as Dumont, Ross, and Mccan all gave their idea on what they “think.”
21. What was your favorite film this semester?
I really enjoyed the films about eliminative materialism. Things that cannot be explained or have a certain mystery as to why they are or why they exist fascinate me. After developing a further understanding of eliminative materialism I dove into further investigation (quantum mechanics, string theory) to understand and learn about things that have simply not been understood in our lifetime. The fact that “God did it” is a real life answer we have all heard before. However, I do believe that science and technology will progress to find answers to things we cannot explain, and eventually provide a clear understanding of things we can’t explain. If we don’t then maybe we just simply are not capable or not meant to understand ALL things.
22. What was your favorite reading this semester?
I enjoyed reading The Great Mystery simply because while I am religious, I do also believe in the progress and findings of Science. While religion and science often meet with opposing views I believe that they can both learn and develop from understanding and applying each other. Just because I believe in the explanations of science regarding evolution and not the Bible’s interpretation does not make me a sinner or make me wrong. It just means I believe in evidence based on scientific research. Often times there is a great misinterpretation toward religion and science and believers of both.
23. If you have done extra credit, please list it here and write a 100 word analysis of each extra credit assignment.
24. Any questions/comments?
Professor Lane,
I just want to say that I have a great deal of respect for the manner in which you have pursued, investigated, authored, produced, published and created information, literature and video media on the foundations and concepts of philosophy. While at first I was a bit nervous taking this class because I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it, your readings and videos made this class enjoyable and understandable. Thank you!
Introduction to Philosophy Philosophy 5
Professor David C. Lane Fall 2015
Guideline: Be sure to use pertinent quotes from the required films/books to back up your arguments.
1. Name: Yvette Garcia
2. Your midterm grade (before and after revisions): C-
3. Complete list of all your essays answers as required per week (includes everything you have done for the semester).
Essay Questions: Week One & Two
1. Why was Socrates sentenced to death?
Socrates is arguably one great philosophical thinker that has ever lived on this earth. His way of thinking has left mankind dumbfounded by his teachings. At the old age of 70 years old, he was taken to trial. He was taken to trial on two major charges “he did not believe in the gods recognized by the state, the other he had corrupted the Athenian youth by his teachings.” Lane Page (2) What Socrates did to defend himself was eye-catching to me as he neither denies or confesses the first accusation, but he does show that in several instances he conformed to the religious customs of his country. Socrates also is able to speak his mind because he is uninfluenced by the fear of that imaginary evil and death. He also defends himself in the second charge by having a cross examination with one of his accusers, a man by the name of Milieus. He reduces to the dilemma of charging him with corrupting the youth, making him not liable for the punishment. In Socrates’ closing argument he says death is going to take him to a better happier place. People believed in the underworld and thought that death was horrific, but Socrates had a different view on that. Socrates’ was sentenced to drinking the poisonous hemlock, even when he was about to die he was still the cheerful person. He was letting us know that he was genuine in what he was preaching. “Criteo thereupon asks if he has any commands go give, Socrates answers with his usual cheerfulness “just as you please, if only you can catch me”.” Lane (Page 79)
2. Why is there a conflict (for some) between science and religion?
Religion has always been a mean for people to have answers to questions they’ve never known, creation of stories gave a way for people to understand and not seem lost of how their world was created. Religion also gives hope for mankind for it preaches the idea of an after life, where people will be judged accordingly for their actions, as this creates a series that checks and balances in one's life. Science on the other hand offers theories that are not proven and backed in the real world giving one a dilemma in believing it. I think many people who are afraid of people who believe in science because they think they will love this world and commit to many grave sins. This type of thinking is wrong because people who believe in science want to do good. Many people often say that religion has limitations, but in reality science has the same or even more. The video limits of science it goes in depth talking about the limitations science faces. “Einstein's limitation of light is theory where people cannot see all types of light.” (limitations of science) Another interesting point made in the book Matter Vs Spirit is that god cannot be explained by science rather is supernatural in beyond nature. “The only way to do this for theists is to posit that God is outside of time and space; that is, God is beyond nature—super nature, or supernatural—and therefore cannot be explained by natural causes.” Lane (Page 32) “The limits of our skull are the limits of our understanding” ( limits of science) this quote can be useful because it shows that sometimes our minds are incapable of thinking that there is higher deity.
Week 3 & 4: Essay Questions
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy?
To answer this question I am going to use a quote from the book Quantum Weirdness, “Deep understanding of the very limits of the scientific enterprise and how human investigations of objective phenomena are intimately limited by its own apparatus. This raises a philosophical conundrum which is age-old.” (p. 15). Many people think that physics and understanding the general rules of the universe are the only viable ways to answer many of the questions on this planet and in the universe, but to me having a deep knowledge in physics and truly understanding it will unlock the hidden potential this universe has to offer. Physics and philosophy are both intertwined in a way that they both need each other to work, philosophy requires one to have a background in the sciences and understanding how the universe works. For if you're trying to prove your theory that u make a mistake at one level in your argument it collapses because it is completely wrong. The quote I used above is a good example of why we can't always trust science to answer our questions, it is revolving around them, in this course it is that we are limited to our own apparatus. That is why we need philosophy more than ever for it does not put computation ahead of conceptual clarity and can lead to confusion.
In the very interesting video “Quantum Uncertainty: Einstein Doesn't Gamble”, it talks about how Einstein was fundamentally problematic and also shows that science can be wrong too.
2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it.
Eliminative materialism is the process of using a systematic set of processes that doesn't circulate around the use of common sense, rather the fundamentals of subjects that we know like mathematics, science, sociology and psychology. In the video eliminative materialism part one it talks about how “If the phenomena could not be explained fully and comprehensible to mathematics then one turns to physics and if that doesn't work to chemistry than to biology then to psychology.” There are three examples that our professor gave us that we can use for eliminative materialism in the video “Eliminative Materialism” the first one is that instead of talking about the God of thunder Thor we talk about electromagnetic currents that were around us. The second example is instead of talking about spirits as the causes of diseases we talked about bacteria's and viruses as the real causes of diseases. The third example in the video, it talked about how we used to believe that there were tiny little ghosts pulling on our muscles then we later talked about how we have a central nervous system. We eliminated physiological beliefs in the past and now rely- on the hard sciences for our answers, which I believe is the right way to do things.
Week 5 & 6:
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
The theory of evolution is so important to understand for it shows on how human beings behave. It shows how we evolved to where we are at now, there is a step by step process showing where we came and how far we were able to evolve to the advanced species we are today. The theory of evolution states in order for us to evolve we must mutate and when we mutate some of the genes that are bad don’t get used but the genes that will benefit us do get used. I think this is astonishing on how through process of mutation we pick genes that are most suited for us to flourish into better species so we can prosper long lives. "We now have convincing proof that evolution occurs when accidental mutations create features such as spots or stripes that impart an advantage for attracting mates, hiding from or confusing predators, or gaining access to food," (Page 15) Asking why is also vital in the theory of evolution because it shows that we behave in a manner that questions the state of where we are at and that were always looking for the best answer to better our lives on a daily basis. In the video of Pivotal consciousness it states “any organism that can develop a mental pivoting tool will develop new and tremendous strategies” if we are always questioning what is around us we will we always be bettering ourselves.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
To me the evolutionary theory cannot answer the question of what is the point of living without a purpose. Some people might say that it is simple there is no purpose to life and that we are here by random coincidence. Critical thinkers of higher education can come to simple reason that this thinking is not viable but irrational for someone to think so. The purpose I feel is what really drives the human race, a tired parent who works 2 full time jobs just to feed her kids, has a purpose and drive to make her kids not starve. On page 32 of The DNA of Consciousness it talks about how we need purpose it goes as follows "We cannot live without purpose, even if that purpose is an adaptive fiction evolved over eons of time designed to blind those with such sentiments from the truth that nature has no such sentiment.” This quote proves that we do need purpose in our lives and without it there is no point in living. In the video “Evolutionary Imperative” it talks about how every organism is competing because nature is competitive and if we don't have purpose to be competitive we would die off.
Week 7 & 8
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
“Consciousness is a fantastic virtual simulator and because of its inclusivity and insular engineering it has an inherent tendency to believe its own machinations as exterior to itself and not as the byproduct of its own interiority.” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 75)
Both of the assigned readings this week share a similar idea: thanks in part to the new discoveries or modern science, the world we see, hear, touch, and feel around us is NOT as it appears in our minds. In the Our consciousness - a sense of one's personal or collective identity, including the attitudes, beliefs, and sensitivities held by or considered characteristic of an individual; special awareness – is a virtual simulator inside our head that perceives and believes in the things our senses help us determine and understand the world around us. Our mind simulates the situations we experience on a daily basis and we act accordingly based on our understanding of accepted human behaviors, rules, and experiences.
In reading “Is the Universe an App?” the theory of consciousness as a virtual is discussed extensively. Gerald Edelman in an interview with Discover Magazine describes humans as having two fundamental forms of awareness. The primary, he explains is a state of awareness held by animals that allows them to live only within their present state of being and not having any consciousness of the past or present. In contrast, Edelman explains that humans are “conscious of being conscious” as we can recall past memories, ideas, or experiences while also being capable of planning or deciding future decisions and experiences. Edelman describes our “consciousness of being conscious” as the second form of awareness and it is our “evolutionary advantage” that has taken humankind to where it is today.
“Arguably, consciousness is a virtual simulator, apparently evolved over eons of time to enable mammals with higher brain functions to “in source” varying options of how to respond to a disparate array of problems before “out sourcing” them (hence the Darwinian advantage).” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 107)
Another interesting topic involving consciousness is the description of the Chandian Effect – the experience of certainty. (is the Universe an App, Pg. 109) The Chandian Effest relates to our ability to make plans, decisions, and have hopes and dreams for what we want in our lives. The Chandian Effect allows our minds to accept the world around us for what it is. The Chandian Effect has different levels and expressions tha make up our reality such as being awake or dreaming. The Chandian Effect can best be described as “a pattern of awareness we can see that our lives are simply natural progressions of consciousness from various boundaries within.” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 110)
Another interesting topic in this week’s reading was the contrast in opinion of the state of consciousness between Richard Feynman and John Lilly. Lilly held a point of view about consciousness in our own minds as that what “we believe to be true is true or becomes true” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 119) He believes that there are no limits to how we see the world in our own state of minds. Feynman argues this point by providing the idea that “the imagination that things are real does not represent true reality.” (Is the Universe an App, Pg. 116) Both of their beliefs lead to the idea of a Neural Paradox where we as individuals do not do not judge or interpret our experiences for what they are, but instead by what we believe in or the opinions we have about our own experiences.
In conclusion, the virtual simulation theory of consciousness is something humankind is beginning to scratch the surface on in terms of philosophical and psychological concepts and ideas based on our understanding or consciousness and the world around us. As we continue in our pursuit to fully understand the world around us, it seems that there are many things we cannot comprehend at this time and our state of consciousness may not be what it appears to be or what it has been accepted a for many years. As technology and further research develop in the future, humans already have and will continue to make progress in understanding the reality of what are consciousness is.
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
I think the brain tricks us by stimulating virtual realities. For example, when we see an illusion we can suddenly believe in it when it is actually only an illusion not a reality. The benefit to our brain is that it will always keep our body stay alive long enough so that the genetic codes can be passed down. Another interesting thing about our brain is that brain actually tricks people so they can live another day. In the film "Brain Burn: Consciousness as a Virtual Simulator", it explains that “…most of our awareness is ‘in’ our head, it doesn’t have to face the very real and empirical and deathly consequences of being ‘without.’” This indicates that people got a better chance to survive than animals because animals do not have consciousness like normal people do.
The brain can sometimes trick us into perceiving something as reality and real when really it is not. This is stated in the book the Universe an App,"the brain tricks us into believing its own machinations as something that is not. A prime example would be in the short film the The Disneyland of Consciousness discusses how the conscious of a human being has a process that it follows and we may not have as much control of it as we may think. We tend to perceive things the way they appear at first and then once we “realize” things are not as they seem, we have difficulty accepting such. As this short film brings to light, animatronics are so humanly simulated that this is a great example of such by “tricking the eye and mind” to believe the robot is an actual human being. ” The brain does this to keep us alive long enough to reproduce. The brains trickery benefits us, so we last long enough to continue our genetic line so we do not go extinct.
Week 9 & 10
1. Do you think artificial intelligence will be a significant problem in the future?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) — the study of the design of intelligent systems and machines —makes life easier for everyone. AIfrom software that can recognize animals and objects, to digital assistants that carry out user commands. However, there are skeptics of AI and the ability it has to surpass or even end the human race, potentially. Artificial intelligence is a wide and dynamic area of research at the moment, but personally I do not agree with the opinion that AI will supersede or eliminate the human race, at least not in my lifetime. Undoubtedly, AI could have many benefits to some of the most important issues and problems facing mankind today such as helping to end modern warfare, eradicating disease, eliminating poverty, and making more scientific and technological advances. Creating AI or intelligent machines that could provide such astounding aide to the human race would be one of the biggest achievements in human history.
2. How has technology impacted your life?
Technology has impacted me life in much more positive ways than negative. I feel fortunate to have grown up in an era when technology really had a fascinating boom. The creation of the internet sparked a lot of new possibilities to help people in so many different areas of life – school, work, business, etc. I also saw the beginning of the rise of social media with programs like “AOL Instant Messenger” and “MySpace” all the way to more diverse and superior forms of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twittr, etc. The rise of personal technology such as cell phones, tablets, and other devices have become essential in our lives today with capabilities that improve our quality of life and assist us in ways we now have become so accustomed to. Personally, technology has helped me in so many areas of my life. The most significant area of my life that has been impacted by technology is my education. Today, technology has thrived in the classroom and has become a vital asset to teachers and students. Technology has also provided me with the ability to reach information is seconds. I can use the web to gather any research or information for anything I need. It is truly remarkable to me how far technology has come thus far, and I cannot wait to see the advances we make in the future.
Week 11 and 12
1. Why is Faqir Chand's experiences important in understanding the projective nature of religious visions and miracles?
Faqir Chand's experiences are important in understanding the projective nature of religious visions and miracles because he was acknowledged and accepted as an influential religious figure that offered his personal experiences to society. At a time when Faqir Chand was potentially facing death, he provides insight about a vision he had that helped to save his life, as well as others. This “vision” was admired and honored for its impact on his lives and the lives of others. Fascinated by his vision and visions of others, Chand set out to investigate these visions by placing himself at various near-death scenarios to further understand the projection of miracles within nature. Chand had an unrivaled understanding of the mind and how it could use energy from within to push limits and boundaries, and even escape near-death experiences. In the book "The Unknowing Sage" Chand explains this energy from within: “I came to believe that the Master is no separate entity. Rather, He is the disciple’s Real Life Self and resided within” (Pg. 31). Chand has a very powerful message within the frame of this quote. Often in our society, culture and religion we look and refer to that “energy” or “transcendent” form or higher being as something above us or watching over us. Given Chand’s experiences and perspectives, we must acknowledge the idea that there is an energy or force that lies within our own mind and body.
2. What is meant by the phrase, "philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy."
The phrase "philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy" refers to the idea that the investigations that stem from important questions of philosophy that can lead to discussion and results based on factual evidence, much like science. Detailed facts and evidence based on investigations, observations, examinations, can support or refute any claims or ideas for almost any relevant subject matter. The idea that philosophy and science are intertwined reveals itself again. Advances and answers to questions in science rely on experiments based on many trials. During trials or experiments observations are recorded that will support and/or disregard any hypothesis. Observations of these trials and experiments lead to findings called evidence. Philosophy has the ability to answer questions much like science. And currently, in today’s world our scientific and technological advances have allowed us to use science as a means to answer philosophical observations, ideas, and questions. A hypothesis or idea cannot be supported, accepted, or disregarded without facts/evidence to support it. Essentially, if the process in trying to answer questions or prove theories and ideas is done correctly and recorded truthfully and accurately, new developments and/or findings can be determined.
4. Have you done all of the required reading?
Yes, I have completed all 9 (Books) of the required readings for the course and downloaded them through the free PDF option. (Thank you, that was very helpful to give us the option to be able to download the books.)
5. Have you watched all of the required films?
I have viewed all of the required films for the course. Thank you for them as they were very interesting to watch. My husband enjoyed watching them along with me and he also found them very interesting. I enjoy reading but it was nice to see and hear about philosophy.
6. What does the author mean by “cerebral mirage”? Why is it important to know about brain deceptions for those studying consciousness? Give examples from the reading.
“The Cerebral Image: The Deceptive Nature of Awareness”, introduces the idea that the world around us is not exactly as we perceive it to be. Modern science and its discoveries has led us to a new approach on how we study, analyze, and comprehend the idea of consciousness. Neuroscience, evolutionary biology and quantum physics have revealed that human reality is a “relative” concept that is based “upon a scaffolding of information bits that betray their real origin and causation.” (Lane) “Mind Tricks” along with the deceptiveness of the human mind, expresses a major concern that we think, believe, and fell may or may not be real. The book also discusses how our mind interprets the world around us and may or may not form “illusions” of our interpretation of reality. However, these “perceptions and illusions” that we have in our minds have been somewhat of a benefit for humankind, adaptation, and survival. The author describes the idea of the “Maya” that describes “what we feel and see in our world to be real is anything but real.” Idealists and philosophers of ancient India, Greece, and other countries of the Middle East describe the Maya as the idea that the world is an illusion. This idea or concept puts in question the idea of our perceived reality and state of consciousness and possibly contradicts everything we have previously believed to be true about how we process and receive information in our minds. In the text, Emerson describes our cerebral illusions fall victim to time, nature, and even or own senses. The text cites that in order for us to understand human cognition we must “first understand the historical context from which it initially arose over time. Simply put, a theory of human consciousness necessitates a deep understanding of biological evolution and natural selection, since it is the guiding mechanism for why certain species flourish and others decay into extinction. Consciousness, therefore, is a contextual medium as well as a communicative one.”(Cerebral Image, Pg. 14) The evolution of the human mind has led to the progress of our species. The text also indicates that we should be cautious of how our brains can trick us or manipulate or reality when we venture off into “different realms of awareness” that we mind find ourselves in future investigations and studies of human intelligence and consciousness. Our ancestral past is another indicator of how human judgements and assumptions using sensory perception have led to our continued existence. We all understand and comprehend how ou brains work and how we “perceive” consciousness. WE know when using our brains to think, analyze, or interpret ideas or concepts. Ultimately the evolution of the human mind has turned us into highly effective beings that can process, interpret, study, and analyze complex information, topics, concepts, ideas, etc. However, as technology continues to advance and scientists continue to make new discoveries of how the human mind works and the concept of consciousness, me must come to the realization that we are witnessing the possible beginning of a new and reformed idea of what consciousness really is and how our brains function and process information to determine our own reality.
7. What is the theme behind the Disneyland of Consciousness?
The “Disneyland of Consciousness” talks about the “audio-animatronic” device that was a machine that looked like and spoke Mr. Abraham Lincoln. In addition, the holographic projections and machines in rides such as The Pirates of the Caribbean ride and The Haunted Mansion were also perceived to be real by Professor Lane and his friend. The idea of the film discusses how our brains can be tricked or “DOOPED” into seeing and hearing something and believing it is real. The nature of our awareness is described as “objectifying our own personas in various guards and believe them to be ontologically apart from our own neural projections.” The film talks about consciousness as a virtual simulator. However, we do not even possess the “full and complete” access to our minds. WE are “unaware” of how all the processes and functions of how our mind and body works, nor what it may or may not be truly capable of.
8. Is Consciousness physical? Explain your answer (pro or con). Be sure to substantiate your argument.
Consciousness can be described as the “state of awareness” within individuals or any other living thing. Essentially, we believe our consciousness to be our perception and ability to use our senses to determine and understand the world around us. We “physically” see, hear, touch, taste, and smell the world around us every day. There is a definite physical experience when using our senses. Our senses identify things around us and send messages to our brain for us to make a determination of the world around us. While our brain receives and identifies these messages and other parts of the body help us to make these determinations, in a sense this is a physical process because we use our minds and other parts of the body to make such interpretations or determinations. The relationship between human “consciousness” and its relationship to the “the structure of matter” – electrons, protons, neurons, atoms, molecules – is being studied all over the world by scientists, psychologists, and physicists. Our technological advances have led to new discoveries that have humans, living things, and essentially the entire Universe is all made of “ENERGY”. This has led to the idea that our “consciousness” and our physical “reality” are indeed intertwined.
9. Do you believe we are living in a computer simulation? Be sure to research your answer before detailing your response.
Popular movies such as “The Matrix” trilogy present the idea that we are living in a “cyber-world” where humans and essentially the universe as we know it is part of a computer-generated reality created by our previous human ancestors. The idea is widely accepted by philosophers and physicists around the world. However, for this idea to be true, humanity would have had to develop and make significant advances in technology for us to replicate a state of consciousness in the minds of humans in computers. Currently, we do not have the technology to replicate such a “reality” in computer systems, although, we may have the potential to do so, or have already done so. Future technology may have the ability to “simulate” systems that involve living things and organisms, like humans for example. If advances in technology give us the “possibility” to re-create a virtual universe, then the idea that we may be already living in a virtual world may be true, and it is “possible” that we are being virtually recreated by our human ancestors. Even if this is true, however, our ability to determine and identify if we are actually living in a virtually simulated world may not be possible. As humans, or computer simulated being, how can we determine whether or not we are actually in a “virtually simulated world”? If we as humans are being simulated, it is very possible that our entire Universe is being simulated as well. It would take a lot of time for humanity to recreate such a phenomena, but then again as I mentioned early, how would we even know now that we actually are in a computer simulated reality? I do not believe we have the capability to do so now and it would take generations for us to do so. And if we did live in a computer simulated world there is probably nothing we could do now to verify this argument. Humanity has made so many advances, adaptations, progressions and developments that I do not want to believe the idea that a computer is controlling all of it or even allowing it to happen. The technological advances we have made is the only reason that a virtually simulated theory of the world or universe has been brought to light, however, it took many generations and years for us to develop. The idea that our Universe as we know it has been virtually simulated does not seem realistic to me at this time, although I do acknowledge it may be true and future generations may have the capability to create such a virtual universe given the rapid rate of advances in technology.
10. What is Issac Asimov’s theory of self-reflective awareness (hint: it is in the film, The Sandcastle of awareness).
Issac Asimov, In the film “Sandcastle of Awareness”, describes the essence of “informational theory” He compares “selfhood” or the consciousness and identity of an individual to a sand castle. He goes on to say the sandcastle si made of tiny grains of sand. However, he suggests that the “architecture cannot be reduced to just one bit since it is the totality of how those bits are compiled that makes all the difference.” If you reconfigure the grains of sand you could create other forms such as a “moat, a tower or an underground tunnel.” He compares the “the self” or the idea of selfhood as a “result of a vast network of intersecting bits of matter, including neurons, synapses, dendrites, axons, and chemical electrical fluid.” If we did not have the ability to exercise these human and neural actions then human consciousness becomes almost impossible to comprehend, understand, or even exist.
11. Why does Patricia Churchland favor a “neural” theory of pain versus a “soul” theory of it?
Churchland favors a “neural” theory of pain versus a “soul” theory of pain because the nova cane described in the film blocks pain when a dentist freezes the nerve in the tooth. The injection of the nova cane shut down the neurons capacity to respond so no “pain signals” are sent to the brain. Nova cane prevents the neurons from signaling, but the amount of time that pain of blocked is only temporary. Eventually the ability for the neurons to respond will return and the pain will be felt. The nova cane does not act on the soul because the nova cane is physical and the soul is NOT. “Brain Science has the leg up on Soul Science” as the film suggests.
12. What flaws did the author find in Jeffrey Kripal’s paranormal arguments? Hint: it is in the chapter Understanding the Improbable in the required text DIGITAL PHILOSOPHY.
The flaws found in Jeffery Kripal’s paranormal arguments include:
• Kripal's hypotheses are based upon innuendo, prejudicial translation, and cultural misjudgments.
• In “Mark Twain’s Dream” Kripal fails to fill in some very necessary blanks with regard to the wife's dream vision of her husband's car accident.
• Kripal seems resistant to accepting is how amazing synchronicities and the like are actually destined to happen given the laws of probability and the theory of large numbers.
• Kripal's materialist summation does not capture what is happening across scientific disciplines.
• Kripal's does not acacknowledge diminishing impact that the humanities in general have in shaping intellectual discourse today, especially as the hard sciences have emerged as having a much greater influence.
• Kripal's worry is misguided and based on a fundamental misreading of what materialism portends.
• Kripal seems to be under the mistaken impression that relegating everything to a material basis somehow negates or eliminates the mystery of the universe at large and renders useless any cosmic feeling of importance that we may once have had.
• Kripal's “alleged impasse between matter and spirit.”
• There is no need have invited Plato back to academia if he has never left the building in the first place. Science welcomes all voices, even the most hyperbolic.
13. Why is the book dead? Do you agree or disagree with the article/film?
Even though times are changing quickly, there is still one fact that remains and that is that booklovers and authors will continue to flourish in some form. Long gone are the days where the traditional paperback book are the norm. Technology has revolutionized literature in the form of providing new platforms for authors and readers. Technological adcances such as Kindle, iBooks, and other e-reading developments have taken the literature world into a different “chapter”. In years to come “the digital revolution” will bring an end to the use of paperback books. E-books and e-publishing will signal and end to authors and writers professionally speaking. The “digital revolution” will not free writers or provide new platforms for creativity, but simply it will prove that writers provide their works of literature at inexpensive costs, or even for free. Professional writing has seen it paramount times pass.
14. Why is Faqir Chand’s life and work so important in understanding the illusory nature of religious visions? Be sure to give two examples from his life and work to back up your answer.
In “The Unknowing Sage” Faqir Chand discusse his philosophies on the illusory nature of religious visions and the limitations of knowledge, both rational and transmundane. Faqir Chand's experiences are important because it helps us to understand the nature of religious visions and miracles. In his own experiences, he was able to show that fear can be overcome. The book “The Unknowing Saga: The Life and Work of Faqir Chand” provides insight to his life and why he is still a significant figure even to this day. He believed all religious leaders were “ignorant about the real cause of miracles and the visions attributed with them.” In the video “Faqir Chand: Inner Visions and Running Trains”, we see the life of Faqir Chand. Faqir Chand's experiences are important in comprehending religious visions and miracles. Faqir Chand discovered the “secret” to ”inner visions and miracles.” The “secret” that Faqir Chand discovered about religion and its founders is that he himself hadn’t found the faith and enlightenment that he was seeking. Instead, he pointed out that the “secret” is revealed and found within our own investigations and experiences.
15. What is the remainder conjecture?
The “Remainder Conjecture” suggests that we use “any and all physical explanations” in advance before we begin to submit to what Paul Kurz called “The Transcendental Temptation” that implies that we impulsively disregard or accept ordinary and/or conventional explanations for certain common events. However, this does not imply that there cannot be something that surpasses our rational comprehensions or understandings. Instead, the best way to demonstrate this idea is to provide evidence to confirm that logical, ethical, and scientific explanations are inadequate and lack the ability to explain somehting. Often times we reach for the mystical or spiritual explanation for things, instead of participating or contributing into significant research or investigation. There are ideas, beliefs, and concepts that are currently beyond the explanation of the sciences and mathematics. However we must take the initiative to participate in significant research, questioning, experimentation, and recording of results so that we are not “DOOPED” or make mistakes due to human error.
16. What is Calvino’s metaphor and how should it humble us about making absolute statements in philosophy?
Calvino’s metaphor investigates the manner in which the “uses or abuses of urban metaphors” can advise differing organizations, societies, communities and other principles of human organization. Since its origin, “the city” has taken on a symbolic significance for human communities being one at same time, which provides a broad product of culture and jointly a supplier of pieces of artifacts and architecture that produce meaning within a cultural perspective. The city can be interpreted as a trope that operates bi-directionally in cultural terms. It is a sign that can be worked to serve the principles of both metonymy and synecdoche. In metonymical or reductive form, the city has the propensity to become substantial and stifling.
17. Why is understanding neuroscience vitally important in understanding human consciousness?
Personally, I believe understanding neuroscience is vitally important in understanding human consciousness because it is the scientific study of the nervous system. Previously, neuroscience has been viewed as a division of biology. However, currently it has grown into an interdisciplinary science that is intertwined with other fields of study that include philosophy. In the investigation of the “neuroscience of free will”, studies have displayed that the experiences people recall when they behave a certain way do not always have a parallel relation to their “actual behaviors” or to ”the patterns of electrical activity chronicled from their brains.” Our individual senses of consciousness that ultimately decide or initiate our actions and decisions is an illusion. Similarly, the indication that consciousness is unified continues to receive uncertainty and skepticism in present-day neuroscience. Previously, there seemed to be certain levels of consciousness and that can explain our state of being and awareness of our world around us. However, recent investigations and research have shown evidence from neuroscience that suggests this may be untrue.
18. Based on the three-part film, give a 250 summation of the “history” of philosophy. Be sure to mention who was your favorite philosopher and why.
Western Philosophy was strongly influenced by Western religion, politics, mathematics, and science. In ancient times, the word "philosophy" meant “all” things that intended to identify and understand logical and rational concepts and ideas of the world. The roots of Western Philosophy date back to 585 B.C. Western Philosophy saw witnessed the ascension of the Greek civilization who continued to make philosophical and scientific advances based on the foundations and fundamentals of earlier Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. Significant Greek achievements included the invention and advances in history, math, science, and philosophy. Philosophical Greek developments went on to influence European civilizations as well. Before the philosophical revolution of the West, religion controlled philosophical and scientific views and ideas. Western philosophy was significant in its time because it permitted and progressed the development of science that enabled philosophers and theorists to engage in a new perspective on life and its most significant questions. Some of the most influential philosophers ever came from this time period including: Thales, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, St. Augustine, St. Thomas de Aquinas, Plato and Aristotle. All of the men listed made significant contributions to the development of philosophy, science, mathematics, and politics. Together they contributed theories, ideas, and concepts that led to major developments in the philosophical and scientific realm. While all of the philosophers mentioned made their own significant contributions, personally, my favorite philosopher was Socrates. Socrates mission in life was to find wisdom. Unfortunately, his life mission ultimately led to his death. Socrates tried to find truth and wisdom that would allow himself and other to have the greatest opportunity at living a good life. In addition, he offered real insight into significant matters of the world. He suggested that people look inside themselves to find answers regarding wisdom, truth, and virtue. He also believed that people should value their soul more than anything else. Socrates developed a style of dialogue, conversation, questioning, debate, and development of ideas that aimed to seek the truth. Socrates often challenged original beliefs, theories, or ideas and examine them for further detail and explanation in order to develop a more complete understanding. His approach and style of seeking truth and knowledge of life later became known as “The Socratic Method” – process of which an individual could seek the truth while evaluating their personal thoughts, opinions, beliefs, ideas, and important questions about life. Critical thinking, another important aspect of the Socratic Method, was critical in attempting to determine and find real truth and knowledge about the purpose of life for man.
19. In the book the Circle of the Wise which philosopher did you find most agreeable? Why? Which philosopher did you find most disagreeable? Hint: which philosopher did you find yourself aligning with? Or disagreeing with?
After reading through Circle of the Wise, I found myself aligning with the philosopher/ professor David Blake from Loyola Marymount University. My two main reasons were because I really liked his answers to the questions, “does God exist?” and “what do you think happens to us after death?” I liked his first answer because he claims that he does believe in God, which I do as well. His second answer I enjoyed and found very interesting because he was very detailed in his answer, but yet it left me thinking. I disagreed with Professor Matson from U.C Berkley because they seemed to give off a very blunt or bored vibe. And that comes off as not caring about the question.
20. Compare and contrast three philosophers and their respective answers in the book Circle of the Wise.
When looking back at the question, “what do you think happens to us after death?” I came to the conclusion that almost all of the philosophers had about the same general broad answer. And that was that no one definitely answered it. All of them have their own idea, but if they gave an answer they said “I think” or “I’m not sure but…” Kaplan, Pippin, and Matson all gave the same answer: “nothing.” Other philosophers such as Dumont, Ross, and Mccan all gave their idea on what they “think.”
21. What was your favorite film this semester?
I really enjoyed the films about eliminative materialism. Things that cannot be explained or have a certain mystery as to why they are or why they exist fascinate me. After developing a further understanding of eliminative materialism I dove into further investigation (quantum mechanics, string theory) to understand and learn about things that have simply not been understood in our lifetime. The fact that “God did it” is a real life answer we have all heard before. However, I do believe that science and technology will progress to find answers to things we cannot explain, and eventually provide a clear understanding of things we can’t explain. If we don’t then maybe we just simply are not capable or not meant to understand ALL things.
22. What was your favorite reading this semester?
I enjoyed reading The Great Mystery simply because while I am religious, I do also believe in the progress and findings of Science. While religion and science often meet with opposing views I believe that they can both learn and develop from understanding and applying each other. Just because I believe in the explanations of science regarding evolution and not the Bible’s interpretation does not make me a sinner or make me wrong. It just means I believe in evidence based on scientific research. Often times there is a great misinterpretation toward religion and science and believers of both.
23. If you have done extra credit, please list it here and write a 100 word analysis of each extra credit assignment.
24. Any questions/comments?
Professor Lane,
I just want to say that I have a great deal of respect for the manner in which you have pursued, investigated, authored, produced, published and created information, literature and video media on the foundations and concepts of philosophy. While at first I was a bit nervous taking this class because I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it, your readings and videos made this class enjoyable and understandable. Thank you!