writes:
Because, if human behavior is totally based on the biochemistry of the
brain/body, then the existence/non-existence of self-awareness is
meaningless in terms of explaining behavior.
But so much behavior results from self-awareness in both humans and animals.
Consciousness is a real thing I think. A neurologic thing . Read "The Feeling
of What Happens" by Damaso to get a better sense of what consciousness is all
about.
I think some of the difference on list come from how one approaches these
issues. Dan 's approach is largely philosophical and religious. I have come
to these issues from neurologyand evolution. To me these things have
evolved. Many animals have consciousness of varying degrees. This is a real
thing. Its existence is a biologic fact. It predated ethics by vast periods
of time so there can be no rational notion of an animal that is ethical but
not self-aware. Ethics were constructed by self-aware animals and
constrained by the nature of self-awareness which was the product of natural
selection.
