Yes, virginia, consciousness does go all the way down!
This was quite interesting. It's funny how Koch still clings to promissory materialism (aka "materialism just HAS to be true so one day it'll explain away everything that challenges it") yet at the same time states that there are physical processes and conscious process which can no be completely reduced to one another though they are closely correlated. That's still dualism lol. I must say skeptics never cease to amaze me.
In his book, Koch bravely steps out in a way rarely done by many neuroscientists. He asserts that he adheres to a version of panpsychism, because he holds that consciousness is “a fundamental feature of the universe, rather than emerging out of simpler elements….” (132)
Wow, so Koch is a panpsychist and a dualist now?
Very interesting article. I want to read that book.
Very interesting article. I want to read that book.
I have read the book and can't recommend it. The conclusion is simply "Consciousness must be physical and a function of the brain due to the correlates between a malfunctioning brain and a malfunctioning consciousness + the laws of physics prohibits consciousness to influence the physical brain (closed causuality)".
He believes all complex systems are consciousness - e.g. the Internet might be consciousness - we just lack a mtehod to tell when a complex system is consciousness.
I don't see how. If consciousness is an epiphenomenon, then he has to come up with an incredibly baroque explanation for how we happen to be talking about it.
I don't see how. If consciousness is an epiphenomenon, then he has to come up with an incredibly baroque explanation for how we happen to be talking about it.
~~ Paul
And that's where the book is going to disappoint you.
I don't see how. If consciousness is an epiphenomenon, then he has to come up with an incredibly baroque explanation for how we happen to be talking about it.
~~ Paul
So you're pointing out where kochs views are incoherent?
"So, essentially, because we are a product of seven hundred million years of evolution in multicellular organisms, it would boggle the mind if this just were purely epiphenomenal without any function."
"So, essentially, because we are a product of seven hundred million years of evolution in multicellular organisms, it would boggle the mind if this just were purely epiphenomenal without any function."
I think perhaps sbu is misinterpreting the book.
~~ Paul
Possible. I find Koch very vague on what he really think consciousness is - as he adheres to materialism and also accept the typical materialist intepretation of Libet's EEG experiment - that decision preludes consciousness thought. Does this leave anything but epiphenomenalism .
Yes, virginia, consciousness does go all the way down! 
Linear Mode
