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The Forum > Article Comments > On resisting mythological consciousness > Comments

On resisting mythological consciousness : Comments

By Peter Sellick, published 25/6/2015

The function of these narratives is not to diffuse the alienation between humanity and nature, but to carry theological weight.

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Dear Hippie,

Regarding your quote from Jerry Coyne:

Whether the brain is deterministic or otherwise, I don't know and I'm not concerned with, because whatever, good or bad, occurred between the molecules of that brain which you call yours, is only a chemical reaction - not your decision.

Subjectively we are in control of "our" brain, thus responsible for its actions, but if at any time we feel that our brain is not influenced by our values, then we always have the choice and responsibility to renounce it, to stop identifying with it and with the body it controls against our wishes, so while the chemistry would probably continue in its same pattern, we would no longer have anything to do with it. So long as we remain identified with a stray/chemical/deterministic brain, we remain responsible for its actions.
Posted by Yuyutsu, Friday, 3 July 2015 1:30:16 PM
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ConservativeHippie,

I'm sceptical of claims in proportion to how extraordinary they are and how much evidence there is to support them. I'm probably more sceptical than most, but I'm no rarity. Join any sceptic organisation or go to any sceptic meetup (à la James Randi, Michael Shermer, et al. - not to be confused with denialism) and you'll find plenty like myself.

There's no refusal on my behalf to believe Craig, l simply voiced a prediction based on my own observations. You make it sound like I'm stubbornly crossing my arms, turning my head to the side and saying, "Nup, won't believe it!" That, I believe, portrays an inaccurate and unfair picture (a caricaturisation, almost) of a sceptical approach to claims that I take very seriously and believe I am actually quite methodological in my application of.

I don't think you're asking me to accept your view. There's no defensiveness on my behalf. I simply enjoy discussing these topics and debunking nonsense. Sometimes I learn from the experience. I've never understood this assumption of a need on the other's behalf to change minds. That sounds defensive to me. I would like to change minds, but I accept that the mind I change is unlikely to be the mind of the person I'm actually speaking with.

It's concerning that you're convinced that I can't change your mind, though. That's not exactly an ideal state of mind to ensure the truth of one's beliefs and suggests that you're more interested in believing what you want rather than what is more likely to be true. Even I'm open to the possibility that I'm wrong, I wouldn't be much of a sceptic if I wasn't, I just know from experience that it's highly unlikely that you're about to demonstrate that now, or that it's even possible to demonstrate at all.

I don't understand what the relevance of the quote was supposed to be. Was it supposed to contradict my worldview or something I've said? I tend to favour determinism over free will myself. Determinism doesn't require a paranormal force, if that's what you're thinking.
Posted by AJ Philips, Friday, 3 July 2015 8:32:31 PM
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