The mystery of consciousness shows that there may be limits to what science alone can achieve

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The progress of science during the last 400 years has been staggering. Who would have thought that we might be able to trace the history of our universe back to its origins 14 billion years ago? Science has prolonged and improved the standard of our lives, and the technology common in the trendy world gave the look of magic to our ancestors.

For all these reasons and lots of more, science is rightly celebrated and revered. However, a healthy pro-science attitude isn’t the identical thing “scientism”, according to which the scientific method is the one way to determine the reality. As the issue of consciousness unfolds, there may be a limit to what we can learn through science alone.

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Perhaps essentially the most developed form of scientism was the early twentieth century movement called logical positivism. Logical positivists signed up “verification principle”, according to which a press release whose truth couldn’t be verified by statement and experiment was either logically trivial or meaningless gibberish. They hoped to use this weapon to dismiss all metaphysical questions as not only false, but additionally nonsense.

Nowadays, logical positivism is sort of possible universally rejected by philosophers. First, logical positivism is futile since the verification principle itself cannot be scientifically tested and due to this fact can only be true whether it is meaningless. Indeed, something like this problem haunts all unqualified forms of scientism. There isn’t any scientific experiment we can perform to prove that scientism is true; and hence, if scientism is true, its truth cannot be established.

Despite all these deep problems, the bulk of the population believes that scientism is real. Most people within the UK are completely unaware that ‘metaphysics’ is going down in almost every philosophy department within the country. By metaphysics, philosophers don’t mean anything terrible or supernatural; it is just a technical term for a philosophical, slightly than scientific, study of the character of reality.

Truth without science

How can you find out about reality without studying? A distinguishing feature of philosophical theories is that they’re “empirically equivalent”, meaning that they can not be decided between them on the premise of experiment.

Let’s take for instance my area of ​​research: the philosophy of consciousness. Some philosophers imagine that consciousness emerges from physical processes within the brain – that is the “physicalist” position. Others imagine the alternative is true: consciousness is primary and the physical world emerges from consciousness. The version of that is “panpsychist”the view that consciousness reaches down to the essential constructing blocks of reality, the word being derived from two Greek words pan (all) and psyche (soul or mind).

Still others imagine that each consciousness and the physical world are fundamental but radically different – that is the “dualist” view. Most importantly, these views cannot be distinguished by experiment, because with any scientific data, each view will interpret the information in its own way.

For example, suppose we discover scientifically that some form of brain activity is correlated with the body’s conscious experience. A physicalist will interpret this as a form of organization that transforms unconscious physical processes – resembling electrical signals between brain cells – into conscious experience, while a panpsychist will interpret this as a form of organization that unifies individual conscious particles into one larger conscious system. Thus we discover two very different philosophical interpretations of the identical scientific data.

Are particles conscious?
D-VISIONS/Shutterstock

If we cannot determine by experiment which view is correct, how can we choose from them? In fact, the choice process isn’t much different from what we discover in science. In addition to appealing to experimental data, scientists also appeal to the theoretical benefits of a theory, resembling its simplicity, elegance, and unification.

Philosophers can also appeal to theoretical virtues to justify their privileged position. For example, considerations of simplicity seem to contradict the dualistic theory of consciousness, which is less easy than its rivals within the sense that it posits two kinds of basic items – physical matter and consciousness – while physicalism and panpsychism are equally easy in positing one kind of basic items ( either physical things or consciousness).

It may also be that some theories are inconsistent, but in subtle ways that require careful evaluation to uncover. For example, I actually have he argued that physicalist views of consciousness are incoherent (although – like much in philosophy – that is controversial).

There isn’t any guarantee that these methods will produce a transparent winner. It may be the case that on some philosophical issues there are many coherent and equally easy competing theories, by which case we must always be agnostic about which of them is correct. This would in itself be a big philosophical discovery concerning the limits of human knowledge.

Philosophy can be frustrating because there are so many discrepancies. However, this also applies to many fields of science, resembling history and economics. And there are a couple of questions it answers modest consensusfor instance on free will.

The tendency to mix philosophy with the growing anti-science movement undermines a united front against the true and harmful opposition to science present in climate change denial and anti-vaccine conspiracies.

Whether we prefer it or not, we cannot avoid philosophy. When we try to do that, we find yourself adopting the fallacious philosophy. The first line of the book by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow The Great Project boldly declared: “Philosophy is dead.” The book then indulged in extremely crude philosophical discussions about free will and objectivity.

If I wrote a book containing controversial statements about particle physics, I might be rightly ridiculed because I used to be not trained in the suitable skills, I didn’t read the literature, and my views on this area weren’t subjected to peer review. Yet there are many examples of scientists with no philosophical background who publish very poor books on philosophical topics, without affecting their credibility.

This may sound bitter. However, I really imagine that society would be profoundly enriched by becoming more knowledgeable about philosophy. I hope that at some point we’ll move beyond this “scientific” period of history and understand the crucial role that each science and philosophy have to play within the noble project of understanding reality.

Rome
Romehttps://globalcmd.com/
Rome: Visionary Founder of the GlobalCommand Ecosystem (GlobalCmd.com | GLCND.com | GlobalCmd A.I.) Rome is the innovative mind behind the GlobalCommand Ecosystem, a dynamic suite of platforms designed to revolutionize productivity for entrepreneurs, freelancers, small business owners, and forward-thinking individuals. Through his visionary leadership, Rome has developed tools and content that eliminate complexity, empower decision-making, and accelerate success. The Powerhouse of Productivity: GlobalCmd.com At the heart of Rome’s vision is GlobalCmd.com, an intuitive AI-powered platform designed to simplify decision-making and streamline workflows. Whether you’re solving complex business challenges, scaling a new idea, or optimizing daily operations, GlobalCmd.com transforms inputs into actionable, results-driven solutions. Rome’s approach is straightforward yet transformative: provide users with tools that deliver clarity, save time, and empower them to focus on growth and achievement. With GlobalCmd.com, users no longer have to navigate overwhelming tools or inefficient processes—Rome has redefined productivity for real-world needs. An Ecosystem Built for Excellence Rome’s vision extends far beyond productivity tools. The GlobalCommand Ecosystem includes platforms that address every step of the user’s journey: • GLCND.com: A professional blog and content hub offering expert insights and actionable advice across business, science, health, and more. GLCND.com inspires users to explore new ideas, sharpen their skills, and stay ahead in their fields. • GlobalCmd A.I.: The innovative AI engine powering GlobalCmd.com, designed to turn user inputs into tailored recommendations, predictive insights, and actionable strategies. Built on the cutting-edge RAD² Framework, this AI simplifies even the most complex decisions with precision and ease. The Why Behind GlobalCmd.com Rome understands the pressure and challenges of running a business, launching projects, and making impactful decisions in real time. His mission was to create a platform that eliminates unnecessary complexity and provides clear, practical solutions for users. Whether users are tackling new ventures, refining operations, or handling day-to-day decisions, Rome has designed the GlobalCommand Ecosystem to meet real-world needs with innovative, results-oriented tools. Empowering Success Through Simplicity Rome’s ultimate goal is to empower individuals with the right tools, insights, and strategies to take control of their work and achieve success. By combining the strengths of GlobalCmd.com, GLCND.com, and GlobalCmd A.I., Rome has created an ecosystem that transforms how people work, think, and grow. Start your journey to smarter decisions and greater success today. Visit GlobalCmd.com and take control of your future.

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