[MD] Consciousness a la Platt

[Platt Holden]

> [Arlo begins a new thread]

Why start a new thread when its simply a rehash of the old one? Also, why 
don't you answer my question as to why you are curious?

> Platt had, as is typical, derided the arguments made by Krimel (about
> the
> origins of consciousness) as "oops". Since Ham has already indicated his
> beliefs to be "poof", but has been wholly unable to articulate any answers
> to
> these simple questions, I thought that Platt, who also advocates a "Great
> Poof"
> theory should have a go at them. After three posts of evasion (thread was
> under
> What is SOM?), I thought I pull this into a new thread to, to give Platt
> (or
> Ham) a more noticeable forum to consider these questions.
> 
> I am also adding to this the question about the evolution of
> consciousness. But
> first, the thread Platt has (so far) been wholly unable to answer.
> Hopefully
> his next post to this will be answers to these questions.
> 
> [Arlo had asked]
> First, I assume you'd agree that at some point in the far, far distant
> past,
> some pre-pre-primate of man lacked the sophistication in
> consciousness/awareness that "man" possesses. If you disagree here, let me
> know.
> 
> If we accept the above premise, then something had to change, some event
> or
> something that occurred, some change in something, that can account for
> the
> appearance of something where it did not exist before. No?
> 
> I've been vocal about my view on social participation (an unintended
> consequence of neurological evolution) being this "change". Physiologists
> may
> point to simply the neurobiological changes in themselves that account for
> the
> appearance of human consciousness. Both of these views you characterize
> (slyly)
> as "oops". I've argued that these are not "oops" but "aha's!", moments
> where
> Quality latched onto the unexpected formations that appeared due to
> genetic
> changes.
> 
> So I ask you, Platt, "what changed?" You disavow both physiological and
> sociological theories. I know that. So what do you offer instead? The
> only
> thing I could glean from Ham's responses is a sort of Divine Intervention,
> a
> great "Abracadabra!" or "Poof!" where "on high" (Ham's words) suddenly
> poofed
> consciousness into existence. 
> 
> What do you offer instead of these? Although you run from the word, the
> only
> thing you have ever offered in the past is "Great Poof" a la Ham of some
> "Qualigod". Now tell me, if not "oops" or "aha!" or "poof", then what? 
> 
> [Arlo adds a new question to Platt]
> Is it your opinion, along with Ham, that "consciousness" in man has
> evolved
> over historic time, from "genus to species" (as Ham said), from the
> earliest
> primates with this consciousness to modern man? Or did "consciousness"
> appear
> fully-formed and fully-evolved in those early primates?