You are quite right, childish nonsense, but at least it prompted you to post here, Read-Only.
Could we perhaps hear of your opinions on this subject?
As to your points ElectricFetus (all quotes), in reverse order -
A non-conscious observer can change the state of a particle,
There is no such thing as a non-conscious observer. By any definition (and I've looked at a few) it requires a person.
any interaction with a particle (and all observation is an interaction with particles) changes it state. Consciousness is nothing special in quantum mechanics.
Fair enough. I apologise for using the word 'intervention' in a broad sense. I was meaning 'quantum-intervention' before an observation is made. A photon, for example, cannot be observed, only the
results of its interaction with some form of detector, a screen in the two-slit experiment for example. (This spins off into a discussion of whether a photon exists). In that sense there is no direct physical intervention. The decision to see the event one way or another has an effect on the particle
before the observation. This is an intervention albeit at a distance, and not of a classical form. There are many examples of this, here is a good one. quantumenigma.com/wp-content/uploads/rosenblum-kuttner-consc-obsvr-q-exp.pdf This effect is verifiable by anyone.
Human spirituality is a consistent property through out time and cultures because it is the product of common human psychology trying to make up answer for unknowns.
You are confusing spiritual experience with the dogma of organised religion. But I concede that spiritual experience could be a function of the brain, but we'll have to wait for the evidence before jumping to conclusions.
Oh anything possible, but what you describe is not proven or even likely.
(cosmic or distributed consciousness)No proof of course, but an interesting idea. I refer you to current understandings in the science of cosmology.
https://www.math.auckland.ac.nz/~king/Preprints/pdf/tuz6.pdf
As to your first comments, and in answer to you as well Read-Only, I have to admit I went too far. Obviously brain activity does not stop. It was provocative of me. However it cannot be denied that brain activity continues when we are asleep. As to whether it is possible to suppress activity when conscious, then there is only limited empirical evidence. It is a difficult experimental problem.
Many studies have been done on subjects during meditation which show that consciousness can change the activity of the brain directly. Most research is funded either by organisations wishing to promote the benefits of meditation or those involved in identifying the function of particular areas of the brain, including psychiatric institutions. Most of the studies use subjects who practise mindfulness meditation (often used as part of cognitive therapy) and compassion meditation. These types are concerned with identifying and monitoring different thoughts and feelings, and learning to either control them or ignore them. It is no surprise therefore, that the relevant areas of the brain are activated. However some areas are de-activated. The results are varied across studies but some commonalities are observed. Here are a few
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110405174835.htm about focused attention
http://www.cmiv.liu.se/research/current-research-projects/fmri-meditation about compassion meditation
hms.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/assets/Sites/Longwood_Seminars/ScienceofEmotion3.20.12.pdf about the science of emotion
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2944261/ about open monitoring meditation
http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/1...itation-tunes-out-some-brain-areas/31770.html about the default mode network
http://www.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00099/abstract about eeg reductions
http://www.bme.ufl.edu/labs/sitaram...xperiments-on-Meditation-Erb-Sitaram-2010.pdf posterior cingulate de-activation
There are problems inherent in MRI technology. It does not show actual neuronal activity. There is no baseline state possible for comparison so results are always comparative w.r.t. other subjects. The variability of subject brains, due to plasticity, limit precision and certainty in results. Despite these limitations it provides the only method to investigate brain activity. I would rather these machines were used for diagnostic work rather than to satisfy my idle curiosity. Maybe there'll be a handheld version soon.
What is clear is that consciousness can control the activity of different area of the brain. This is problematic when trying to identify where consciousness resides. More research is needed. Present theories identify the thalamus as being involved in promoting consciousness by cyclical stimulation of the cortex, but it is not suggested that it is the seat of consciousness.
And from way back
There is no evidence it is not [consciousness arising from an artificial brain], so far we have managed to prove just about everything operates by physical laws limited to this universe, no evidence of anything supernatural, ergo replicating the brain should be possible, if not then we prove the existence of the soul, either way: discovery!...
'No evidence' is the sort of thing we hear from politicians. If a reconstruction of a brain does not exhibit consciousness it doesn't prove anything. It certainly doesn't show anything supernatural is going on. Supernatural just means it hasn't been explained yet. Magic is only magic until you know how it works. But your comments demonstrate that you are willing to go ahead with a certain line of enquiry
despite the absence of evidence or proof. Great! That is true scientific enquiry. Nothing should be rejected until proven to be wrong.
My purpose has been to draw attention to some of the problems associated with consciousness. It is these that need to be discussed here rather than the mechanics of computers. The three main points are:
1. Is the brain purely algorithmic or is there a quantum mechanical component?
2. How does conscious intervention in quantum events work?
3. Is consciousness necessary for a universe to exist?