Patrick,
Patrick v.d. Berg wrote:
> Hi Scott,
>
> You wrote:
>
>
>>(There is, of course, some
>>hope for quantum models, since they appear to be non-local, but I
>>certainly don't expect an "explanation" of consciousness to come from
>>that or any other source. Rather, I assume everything else, including
>>quantum mechanics, is to be explained in terms of consciousness).
>>
>
> I agree fully with your assertion that nothing, including quantum
> mechanics, can explain consciousness. But for some QM in a formal way
> articulates ones own intuitions.
I agree, though as I mentioned in my response to Erin, I don't know how
far one can take it. I liked Amit Goswami's book "The Self-Aware
Universe", who has developed this theme a lot farther than I dare to
(and who, as a physicist, has better qualifications to do so).
>
> "The truth is that in the metaphysical and religious sphere, articulate
> reasons are cogent for us only when our inarticulate feelings of reality
> have already impressed in favor of the same conclusion. Then, indeed,
> our intuitions and our reason work together, and the great world-ruling
> systems, like that of the Buddhist or of the Catholic philosophy [and
> that of the implications of QM for the mind, Patrick], may grow up. Our
> impulsive belief is here always what sets up the original body of truth,
> and our articulately verbalized philosophy is but its showy translation
> into formulas [!]. The unreasoned and immediate assurance is the deep
> thing in us, the reasoned argument is but a surface exhibition. Instinct
> leads, intelligence does but follow." - William James, Varieties of
> religious experience, p. 74-75 of my edition.
One good quote desrves another, but unfortunately I'm going from memory:
Something like "Revelation is not reasonable when it is revealed, but
revealed so that it may become reasonable" (Lessing).
- Scott
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:02:20 BST