.
In any attempt to achieve any possibility of a materialistic
explanation of consciousness, even in principle, one must take into account the
singular property of consciousness, which is that: it is the only known observable phenomenon
which observes itself. Without making
that fact a prominent feature of the discussion, a necessary foundation of it,
one stumbles about in the darkness.
Furthermore, no attempt to understand consciousness can make
progress without accounting for two other indefinable, fundamental observed
facts. One of these is life, and the
other is free will (volition, intent, purpose).
Materialism defines life as the emergent property of atoms
and forces of nature. However, there
must be a principle of nature that organizes those atoms, and those forces, into the
extraordinary phenomenon of life. Is
that principle, randomness? The universe
itself seems to be governed by intentional design. Were we to leave it there, the materialist
argument would be strong; but there is a further layer of fact, one that
discredits random design.
Free will, that is, volition and intent, is so anathema to
materialism (physicalism) that the two are utterly incompatible with each
other. If ever, in all the universe,
there were to be even a single instance of a volitional choice being made, that
single instance would completely invalidate the myth of physicalism.
The materialist relegates free will to being an illusion,
but what is it that is having the illusion?
Can a robot have the illusion that it is making an independent
choice? Can a living being be conscious,
and yet relegate itself to the status of an algorithm? If so, then what would be the value of
life? Of thought? Of justice?
Of course all of this is subject to dispute, but in my view,
there is no utility in regarding reality as merely physical, and great utility
in viewing ourselves as morally accountable, spiritual beings inhabiting a
physical world.
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