Big brain evolution: changes in sapiens skull shape;addendum (Evolution)

by David Turell , Monday, March 05, 2018, 14:56 (2244 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: You see, you’ve understood perfectly that the s/s/c does the thinking, but manifestation can only occur when the brain gives material implementation to the immaterial thoughts. So why do you keep insisting that your mind cannot THINK its thoughts without the functioning brain?

You keep forgetting I have two views of the state of the s/s/c. In life it MUST use the brain, but in the afterlife it is independent.

Next we move to the complete contrast between the dementia victim's dualism (the s/s/c is normal but can't express itself) and Einstein's materialism (his brain is the source of his genius):

DAVID: Severely demented may be total vegetables. So?

dhw: I pointed out that disease can change the nature of the self, which is evidence for materialism. You argued that “a sick brain gives a sick improper impression…The underlying s/s/c is really the same and normal”. So when the vegetable thinks he/she is now a child, or the doctor wants to kill him/her, or he/she wants to kill the doctor, are you saying the s/s/c is perfectly normal but can’t communicate its normal thoughts because the receiver isn’t working properly?If not, what ARE you saying?

Of course, the receiver is not working properly.

DAVID: I admit I should have said developed from birth. The enlarged area allowed his s/s/c to have a greater ability at conceptualization, dualism

dhw: In dualism, as you have agreed a thousand times, conceptualization is the province of the s/s/c, not the brain. The brain does not “allow” the s/s/c to conceptualize. The brain provides information and implements the concepts.

These quotes answer:

DAVID: No. Intelligence springs from the s/s/c being able to use an advanced brain in size and complexity.

DAVID: And the only way there can be advanced thinking, as Einstein shows, is through brain complexity.

dhw: So did Einstein show us that the complexities of his brain were the source of his great thoughts, thereby embracing materialism, or did he show us that his great thoughts resulted in increased brain complexity, thereby embracing dualism?

The thickened area allowed the more complex thoughts to be developed. Why do IQ levels differ in different people? It must be the individual complexity of the prefrontal cortex.

DAVID: The s/s/c and brain are fully interfaced in life and depend upon each other. And the s/s/c in afterlife is in a different circumstance. It carries all of its knowledge. We have no idea if it can develop new thoughts or not. All we know from NDE testimony is thoughts/information are transmitted telepathically.

dhw: Since this hasn't penetrated, let me repeat: You said that intelligence sprang from the s/s/c being able to use its brain. This can only mean that without a brain, the s/s/c cannot be intelligent. On Friday 2 March I wrote: “If NDEs are to be believed, the s/s/c plays the same role in life and in death: it is the thinking, experiencing, remembering, decision-making YOU. Yes or no?” And on the very same day you answered yes. On Sunday 4 March your afterlife s/s/c will apparently have lost its intelligence.

My s/s/c has dual roles in life and in death, with brain and without brain. Its underlying mechanism of action may be slightly different in each role. I don't think of the s/s/c as you do, seemingly one neat package.