[ExI] Atheism

[Stathis Papaioannou]

On Mon, 20 Apr 2020 at 11:43, Will Steinberg via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> Said conclusions are why I switched.  I think it's illogical to believe
> that two hemispheres of a brain can form a consciousness, but not two
> brains.
>
> To look at it another way, does one consider their brain themself?  What
> about brain cells necessary for computation but not making the computations
> themselves?  What about further reaches of the nervous system that exchange
> information with the brain?  What about the rest of the body, like your
> arm?  What about a controllable prosthetic arm?  What about a hammer you
> hold in it?  What about a diary you store memories in?  What about your
> online presence?  What about another brain you have given and exchanged
> information with?  What about your house and all the ways you have modified
> it to suit you?  What about everything you cause?  What about everything
> that causes you?
>
> I don't think there is a rational end to this slippery slope.  Ergo, God.
>
> In my opinion, simulation arguments are also equivalent to theism.  I
> consider simulationists to have very similar viewpoints to my own--perhaps
> they are even stricter theists, because I don't believe in divine
> intervention unless we are in a simulation.
>
> Even if we are in a simulation, our masters are probably in one too, no?
> The idea of a God allows for infinitely recurring simulations.
>

If the corpus callosum were cut and the hemispheres of my brain somehow
transferred to different bodies then the two bodies would consider
themselves different people, albeit sharing some memories. On the other
hand, if my brain could somehow be merged with another person's we would
consider ourselves as one. If I had a neural implant I would also accept
that as part of me, as I have accepted the changes in my brain as i have
developed as part of me. The sense of self has no objective basis, but is a
contingent fact about human psychology.


-- 
Stathis Papaioannou

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