From a materialist point of view, we assume that the brain generates consciousness and thought, the mind as we call it. How it does so, we have no idea.
But what we know is as a fact is that when the physical brain dies, the mind disappears with it. No brain means no mind or consciousness.
The brain is the tool that enables us to create thoughts and express them. The content of our thoughts may come from the outside through data from the senses
or from the inside. With that I mean, that the brain is able to create its own (abstract) thoughts, which are not directly related to sensory experiences. Think of our phantasies or mathematics or abstract concepts.
What I want to clarify is that from a materialist point of view there does not exist some source of knowledge outside the brain like divine revelations and things like that.
Although reluctantly, we can't escape discussing atheism, which seems to be closely related to materialism.
Lecture 557, which I delivered by the end of December 2014, introduces the project: "A philosopher looks at Atheism..."
So we already have dealt with the subject. However, I'll discuss the issue here in a concise way to refresh your memory and I'll add some new thoughts to the subject.
It is true, we can not ignore atheism, even when we think it is nonsense. Why be against something, which does not exist?
Equally, we could be a-Martianists or A-ManInTheMoonists or aQuanonists. Take your pick, but these are phantasy names, of course. Then, why is atheism such a hot issue?
For me, the explanation is quite simple. We simply can not ignore the phenomenon of religion, the fact that homo sapiens has prayed to at least more than 3000 different gods throughout history.
An interesting historical development was the rise of monotheism, the idea that we don't have a whole Olympus populated with all kinds of gods, but just one.
If you assume that every thought we have is solely produced by the brain and is not put in the brain by an outside source of knowledge independent of the brain of homo sapiens,
you could ask the question, why switched homo sapiens from polytheism to monotheism? In relation to this Ockham's razor comes to my mind:
"Entities are not to be multiplied without necessity" [Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate].
William of Ockham,(c. 1287 – 1347) was an English Franciscan friar, scholastic philosopher, and Catholic theologian, who is believed to have been born in Ockham, a small village in Surrey, England.
In the scientific method, Occam's razor is not considered an irrefutable principle of logic or a scientific result.
The preference for simplicity in the scientific method is based on the falsifiability criterion.
For each accepted explanation of a phenomenon, there may be an extremely large, perhaps even incomprehensible, number of possible and more complex alternatives.
Since failing explanations can always be burdened with ad hoc hypotheses to prevent them from being falsified, simpler theories are preferable to more complex ones because they tend to be more testable.
This idea that the simplest theory is the most preferable isn't Ockham's invention. It is a belief as old as known philosophy.
The statement "We consider it a good principle to explain the phenomena by the simplest hypothesis possible." is ascribed to Ptolemy (c. AD 90 – c. 168)
In other words, a monotheistic religion is way easier to handle in many respects than a polytheistic one. Just think of politics and controlling the masses.
Ok...this for a start. Next time an explanation of the origins of religion and ritual behavior of homo sapiens. And you'll learn that you yourself still have it in you too.
Thank you for your attention again....
Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
The Discussion
[13:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): wb Herman
[13:35] Al Michigan: yeah, innit!?:
[13:35] herman Bergson: Sorry..but my av stayed an orange cloud...now I look ok again :-)
[13:36] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): you looked ok to me'
[13:36] Lukkie Sands: yes to me too...that was the weird part Beertje :-)
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:37] herman Bergson: Issue of data transfer....
[13:37] herman Bergson: anyway...
[13:37] herman Bergson: the fun of atheism :-)
[13:37] herman Bergson: for now I see no ground for atheism....
[13:37] herman Bergson: pretty meaningless activity
[13:38] herman Bergson: there is theism...sure...but that is a cultural phenomenon
[13:38] oola Neruda: in a way, it is more safe to be atheist than to be really into a doctrine
[13:38] herman Bergson: to me it is not an epistemological issue
[13:38] Al Michigan: but mr bergson, why are these atheist some times so fanatic?
[13:39] herman Bergson: Understandable AL....
[13:39] oola Neruda: personally.,, I have found the ones who associate with certain interpretations of the "scriptures" to be more fanatic
[13:39] herman Bergson: Religion has infested all branches of society.....influences legislation...the freedom of choice of women for instance....and so on...
[13:39] herman Bergson: it is a political issue
[13:40] Al Michigan: ah, so they sort o lie by omission?
[13:40] Al Michigan: sort off*
[13:40] herman Bergson: Well..they think they tell the truth and derive power from that...
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yep
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its all about controlling people, not true belief
[13:41] Al Michigan: and with the power they purue a hidden political agenda...
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): power
[13:41] Al Michigan: pursue*
[13:41] herman Bergson: There is a formal separation of church and state....but that is not 100% the case
[13:41] herman Bergson: Sure Al...they do
[13:42] oola Neruda: many of them are very sincere and loving.... wanting to help others
[13:42] Al Michigan: not fair!
[13:42] herman Bergson: Look at the Abortion debate n the US..Roe vs Wade aborted....
[13:42] oola Neruda: taking comfort in "loving others"
[13:43] herman Bergson: goodbye to that kind of love for me , oola
[13:44] herman Bergson: Well....
[13:44] oola Neruda: visiting the elderly in the nursing home.... helping newcomers learn the language, laws and how to go to the grocery etc
[13:44] herman Bergson: Next lecture I'll tell you how religious you stil are :-)
[13:44] herman Bergson: Even if being an atheist :-)
[13:44] oola Neruda: love thy neighbor as thyself
[13:45] Al Michigan: My mom said, at once, huh, you thing it is possible to do anything good to another, if you realize you do it to buy a place in heaven? because then it was selfish, and not a good deed at all,... and then she cried because she saw no more options to buy a seat in heaven...
[13:46] herman Bergson: yes Al...a classic conclusion...doing good to earn your seat in heaven...pure selfishness
[13:46] oola Neruda: i don't see heaven as real....... so am more focused on being kind to to others...
[13:46] bergfrau Apfelbaum: me too Oola
[13:46] herman Bergson: You don't need a heaven to be kind to others,...
[13:46] oola Neruda: I know what it is like to have unkind people ... that you cannot trust... around you
[13:47] Al Michigan: it is not about kind ppl, but about ppl you can trust.
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[13:47] Al Michigan: and with being kind you try to buy trust.
[13:47] oola Neruda: or both
[13:48] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): you can't buy trust, trust must be given to you
[13:48] Al Michigan: but that means that you are probably not trustworthy yourself, and kind , you are likely not as well, otherwise, there was no need to try to be that
[13:48] herman Bergson: by being kind you aren't buying anything....you just show normal social human behavior
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): true beertje
[13:48] oola Neruda: right
[13:48] Al Michigan: yeah, and give trust.
[13:48] bergfrau Apfelbaum: But if everyone were nice to their neighbors. then there would be no wars.
[13:49] Al Michigan: yes there would even be more war
[13:49] oola Neruda: greed....
[13:49] oola Neruda: trumps ... all
[13:49] herman Bergson: Simple as that Bergie....but unfortunately ...etc....
[13:49] Al Michigan: if everyone was nice to their neighbour, there would be more war.
[13:49] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): sadly these dudes exist and are the cause of these bad things happening, hate mobs wars ect
[13:49] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Putin Trump ect
[13:50] Al Michigan: biden, hitler...
[13:50] Al Michigan: mussolini
[13:50] Al Michigan: clinton
[13:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): agitating the masses
[13:50] Al Michigan: yes
[13:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Biden i think is reasonable, when i hear him speak i agree more or less 100% all the time
[13:51] oola Neruda: i object to putting Biden nest to Hitler
[13:51] Al Michigan: have you ever really listenend to Hitler?
[13:51] bergfrau Apfelbaum: anyone who thinks they are better,(wrong thinking.!!) than the rest of the world. starts the war. egoists and pigs
[13:51] Al Michigan: No.
[13:51] Al Michigan: You have not.
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Trump was like Hitler when he agitated the mob to attack capitoleum
[13:51] Al Michigan: did he?
[13:52] Lukkie Sands: Biden and Hitler in once sentence...sorry...lack of historical insight there
[13:52] Al Michigan: have you ever really listened to Hitler? have you read even Mein Kampf?
[13:52] Lukkie Sands: Actually I did Al
[13:53] Al Michigan: then i do not understand why you can say this things
[13:53] oola Neruda: I hung with people who had numbers tattooed on their arms
[13:54] Lukkie Sands: What kind of things, AL?
[13:54] Al Michigan: trump was like hitler.....etc
[13:55] Al Michigan: How can you say that.
[13:55] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): you like Trump dear?
[13:55] Al Michigan: Have you really red Mein Kampf,dear?
[13:55] Lukkie Sands: Pretty boring reading....
[13:55] oola Neruda: I don't want to excuse trump's behavior..... he was aiming pretty high and still is
[13:56] Al Michigan: I'm aiming high not something a president should do?
[13:57] Al Michigan: Is aiming*
[13:57] Lukkie Sands: Not if it is unconstitutional and criminal behavior , Al
[13:57] Al Michigan: What about biden?
[13:58] oola Neruda: What can you find to criticze Biden for?
[13:58] Lukkie Sands: what about Biden, AL,,,where did he acted unconstitutional?
[13:58] bergfrau Apfelbaum: I like all these bastards, trump, putin,...Hitler
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): biden got elected in a correct way and Trump still cant accept it calling it a fraud everything. Its black on white. tons of likes, stealing of sensitive documents and the capitolium attack, no sane president would do this
[13:58] bergfrau Apfelbaum: as pig feed
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): tons of lies
[13:58] Lukkie Sands: Where did he stole governmental documents for instance?
[13:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): + he have bluffed his way through his entire life, fraud after fraud
[13:59] Lukkie Sands: Where did he make phoecalls to manipulate legitimate election results?
[13:59] Al Michigan: his son has committed aprox 450 crimes, mow proven, and it s becoming clear most off these hispa was in this as well, so now we have a criminal prwsident, with a son like don Corleone, with the most corrupt scandal in the Ukrain, where he starts a war, for no reason, and also in thailand, and also in oesbekistan at the moment, but he is a saint, no he is a criminal, he is the most extreme president the WORLD has ever seen.
[14:00] Lukkie Sands: Hello....Joe Biden is not his son....
[14:00] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): eeee nope
[14:00] Lukkie Sands: Besides...where is the evidence, where are the indictmentsA????
[14:00] Al Michigan: hunter biden is proven to be committed over 450 crimes now sorry i spelled wrong
[14:00] Lukkie Sands: where is the beef in this ?
[14:00] oola Neruda: where do you get this information?
[14:01] Al Michigan: Did you not read the news?
[14:01] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): fox news?
[14:01] Al Michigan: Then i would avise you to read more papers then MSNBC
[14:01] Lukkie Sands: I only listen to lawyers and judges...not newsreals
[14:01] Lukkie Sands: so...whre are the indictments of the son of BIden???
[14:01] Al Michigan: luikkie, that seemed a wise avice, in times now gone,... but today?
[14:02] oola Neruda: His son is no saint.... but he did not try to destroy the country
[14:02] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): he starts a war in Ukraine?......Biden?????
[14:02] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i thought it was the other guy
[14:02] Al Michigan: Youjust waitlukkie, but i am happy I am not him.
[14:02] Al Michigan: yes he did!@]
[14:02] Lukkie Sands: BS....
[14:02] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): eeee no he did not, Putin did
[14:02] Al Michigan: or etter, miss clinton did in 2014
[14:02] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and Putin and Trump are buddies but not Putin and Biden
[14:02] Lukkie Sands: oh my...here we come with Hilleray....
[14:03] oola Neruda: trump is the one who refused the promised aid to Ukraine
[14:03] Lukkie Sands: she sat for a deposition..NEVER claimed the 5th...Trump did 400+ times!!!!!
[14:03] Al Michigan: putin and trump are buddies, the ghost who thinks that, forgets one thing, in order to value ''news'' that you get, you have to ask yourself:
[14:03] Lukkie Sands: As he said...only a mob boss would claim the 5th...
[14:04] Al Michigan: what papers or sources are telling another story, . and what you ll notice is: all media tells the same story. trump is a fool
[14:04] Al Michigan: putin is evil
[14:04] herman Bergson: ok peeps...guess we are off track here now...:-))
[14:04] Al Michigan: biden is good. ALL off them.then you know it is propaganda.
[14:04] herman Bergson: this is a philosophy class :-)
[14:04] Al Michigan: because if it was not:
[14:04] herman Bergson: not a debating group on politics
[14:05] oola Neruda: trump is no fool... he is a self serving sociopath
[14:05] herman Bergson: Never theless fun..:-)
[14:05] Al Michigan: some papers would write opinion A, others option B and some options would be printed at C and so on
[14:05] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): y. trump is a fool
[14:04] Al Michigan: putin is evil....there you are right
[14:05] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): y. trump is a fool
[14:04] Al Michigan: putin is evil.......their you are right
[14:05] Al Michigan: biden is demented
[14:05] herman Bergson: He is not a philosopher, that is for sure :-))
[14:05] Al Michigan: bemented.
[14:06] herman Bergson: So not a subject in this class to discuss any longer ^_^
[14:06] oola Neruda: trump is also evil
[14:06] Al Michigan: What philosopher, had ever led the USA?
[14:06] Al Michigan: but I did not start this
[14:06] herman Bergson: John Locke, Al
[14:06] Al Michigan: somwe one started compare trump with hitler.
[14:06] bergfrau Apfelbaum: Trump the clown was just being selfish. and it is not right that there are no penalties. for all his crimes
[14:06] herman Bergson: His philosophy was the base of the ideas of the Founding Fathers
[14:07] herman Bergson: This coward Trump isnt even a shadow of Hitler
[14:07] Al Michigan: we agree here totally
[14:07] herman Bergson: MAGA comes more close to the Brown Shirts
[14:07] Al Michigan: you cannot compare the two
[14:08] herman Bergson: of course not....
[14:08] Al Michigan: Ah Mussolin
[14:08] Al Michigan: mussolini
[14:08] Al Michigan: benito
[14:08] herman Bergson: He had the same personality as Trump to some extend indeed
[14:09] herman Bergson: But enough for today...
[14:09] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): both are nasty persons thats form sure
[14:09] herman Bergson: We have to deal with atheism...
[14:09] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but we are not nasty (hopefully)
[14:09] Al Michigan: but isn t that inevitable?
[14:09] herman Bergson: So,,,See you all next Thursday
[14:09] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and we believe in facts
[14:09] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): not fiction
[14:09] Al Michigan: facts.....
[14:09] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): thank you Herman
[14:09] herman Bergson: Thank you all again..stay save...
[14:10] herman Bergson: Class dismissed....
[14:10] Al Michigan: we will!
[14:10] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): stay awesome
[14:10] Al Michigan: you too mr Bergson!
[14:10] herman Bergson: I'll do my best
[14:10] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): good:)
