There is no soul and no afterlife.

[Raithere]

Originally posted by everneo
Existence of reality is not denied but the observation & perception of the existing reality, is limited,defined & confined by our inherent ability / inability, imposed by our physiological & physical restrictions.

Agreed, as long as you add our artificially/technologically enhanced abilities.

By monitoring you will know whether the brain or its specific part is active or not. Monitoring does not reveal whether those activities are real cause (or effect *but again i am not getting into that now* ) of Consciousness. I am afraid you have still yet to prove, objectively, the consciousness, not the activities of the brain.

Originally posted by Canute
There is no scientist alive who would claim to be able to detect consciousness in any state. What they would claim is that they can detect behaviour which appears to be identical to those who we assume to be conscious.

And I agree with both of you except in a very gross sense. It's not that we know specifically what consciousness is or can detect its existence but I think you'd get a fairly consistent response as to the states of consciousness, unconsciousness, and death as it pertains to biological function.

Granted, they're looking and secondary indicators rather than primary but there is a strong correlation between certain physically measurable conditions in the brain and first hand reports (or lack thereof) of consciousness. Not that this necessitates causality but I don't see that this correlation is very well explained from the immaterial position.

~Raithere

 

[Canute]

Originally posted by Raithere
Agreed, as long as you add our artificially/technologically enhanced abilities.

And I agree with both of you except in a very gross sense. It's not that we know specifically what consciousness is or can detect its existence but I think you'd get a fairly consistent response as to the states of consciousness, unconsciousness, and death as it pertains to biological function.

Granted, they're looking and secondary indicators rather than primary but there is a strong correlation between certain physically measurable conditions in the brain and first hand reports (or lack thereof) of consciousness. Not that this necessitates causality but I don't see that this correlation is very well explained from the immaterial position.

~Raithere

All true I think, and you're right about the correlation between conditions. But I'm not sure you're right about immaterialism being poor at explaining this correlation. (btw I'm not supporting immaterialism, I don't think that matter doesn't exist, just that it is not fundamental, which is not quite the same thing).

It is certain that there is a correlation between brain states and everyday states of human consciousness. Which causes which is not known, but the correlation can't be disputed.

However states of a volume of water in a kettle correlates with the input from the heating element. That does not mean that water only exists in kettles, or that it always takes a liquid form.

 

[enton]

I believe the existence of souls. I understand that many can't come to the knowledge about souls and life beyond this earthly life. But the fact remains the same, the Bible is an absolute authority regarding souls. So start thinking now readers what soul is and what is the distinction of it from spirit.

 

[Cris]

Enton,

Please join the current debate on souls rather than add to very old threads.