What is ' consciousness ' ?

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Thomas123
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What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #1

Post by Thomas123 »

This word appears to be at the centre of many discussions on this forum. It also appears to mean different things to different people and, therein lies the root of our miscommunication. What range and definement do you attribute to, ' consciousness ' ?

Is there an external consciousness in the world?. Can I tune into a shared consciousness. I am listening to Prime Minister's Question Time, ....is Boris tuned into a universal human consciousness as he delivers his address. Is his brain working ,simultaneously and in tandem with my own consciousness and with that of others?

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Tcg
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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #171

Post by Tcg »

[Replying to Sherlock Holmes in post #168]

Here's a picture that illustrates the differences:

Image

The one animal has hair, the other one has hair.

The one has lips while the other has lips.

The one animal has external structures the support hearing while the other has the same thing.

One has two eyes facing forward while the other... well... has the same.

Wait, what are the differences?


Tcg
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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #172

Post by Sherlock Holmes »

Tcg wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 4:24 am [Replying to Sherlock Holmes in post #168]

Here's a picture that illustrates the differences:

Image

The one animal has hair, the other one has hair.

The one has lips while the other has lips.

The one animal has external structures the support hearing while the other has the same thing.

One has two eyes facing forward while the other... well... has the same.

Wait, what are the differences?


Tcg
Chimps can't cook, don't keep and care for pets or have an opposable thumb, there are many other differences too.

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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #173

Post by JoeyKnothead »

Cut a human.

Cut a chimp.

Report your findings.

To declare, in 2022, that humans ain't animals, is as goofy as anything Trump's ever done.
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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #174

Post by Tcg »

Sherlock Holmes wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 10:04 am
Tcg wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 4:24 am [Replying to Sherlock Holmes in post #168]

Here's a picture that illustrates the differences:

Image

The one animal has hair, the other one has hair.

The one has lips while the other has lips.

The one animal has external structures the support hearing while the other has the same thing.

One has two eyes facing forward while the other... well... has the same.

Wait, what are the differences?


Tcg
Chimps can't cook, don't keep and care for pets or have an opposable thumb, there are many other differences too.
Humans can't fly, or dive from the sky unaided and don't have feathers or fins or gills or wings or blow holes. Of course, different species have different traits/abilities. If they didn't, they wouldn't be a different species. In spite of these things humans lack, they're still animals.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

- American Atheists


Not believing isn't the same as believing not.

- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #175

Post by Sherlock Holmes »

If humans were animals there'd be no distinction between a doctor and a vet, and we'd have no need for this definition:

Image

So, since a vet treats animals and people don't (well, I don't) visit a vet when their sick, people really aren't animals.

I rest my case.

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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #176

Post by JoeyKnothead »

Sherlock Holmes wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 9:34 am If humans were animals there'd be no distinction between a doctor and a vet, and we'd have no need for this definition:

Image

So, since a vet treats animals and people don't (well, I don't) visit a vet when *their sick, people really aren't animals.

I rest my case.
*They're

Grammar, ya know.
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Sherlock Holmes

Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #177

Post by Sherlock Holmes »


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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #178

Post by Jose Fly »

Sherlock Holmes wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 9:34 am If humans were animals
Taxonomically, humans (H. sapiens) are animals.

But if you're not speaking to taxonomy, then what constitutes an "animal" is largely subjective.
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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #179

Post by Clownboat »

Sherlock Holmes wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 9:34 am If humans were animals there'd be no distinction between a doctor and a vet, and we'd have no need for this definition:

Image

So, since a vet treats animals and people don't (well, I don't) visit a vet when their sick, people really aren't animals.

I rest my case.
We are all now dumber for having read this.
We award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

At the risk of debating at your level:
A spokeswoman for the British Veterinary Association pointed out that animals could not give their permission to have someone other than a vet treating them, whereas vets could treat humans, if the patients agreed.

Your case has surely been put to rest and it is sad indeed as to how we got there (ignoring taxonomic classifications to submit going to a vet or not determines the classification of humans). :dizzy:
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Re: What is ' consciousness ' ?

Post #180

Post by Sherlock Holmes »

Clownboat wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 1:41 pm
Sherlock Holmes wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 9:34 am If humans were animals there'd be no distinction between a doctor and a vet, and we'd have no need for this definition:

Image

So, since a vet treats animals and people don't (well, I don't) visit a vet when their sick, people really aren't animals.

I rest my case.
A spokeswoman for the British Veterinary Association pointed out that animals could not give their permission to have someone other than a vet treating them, whereas vets could treat humans, if the patients agreed.
So, what term did that spokeswoman use to describe a vet's patients, patients that cannot give permission? She said "animals could not give their permission" which we all know is true, animals cannot do that, since humans can give permission then they cannot be animals else that spokeswoman would not have said what she said.

Now it seems some of us, myself included, have rather veered off topic, so consider this my last word on this "animals" issue.

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