“Recently I was with a group of mathematicians and philosophers. One philosopher asked me whether I believed man was a machine. I replied, ‘Do you really think it makes any difference?’ He most earnestly replied, ‘Of course! To me it is the most important question in philosophy.’"I had the following afterthoughts: I imagine that if my friend had finally come to the conclusion that he were a machine, he would be infinitely crestfallen. I think he would think: ‘My God! How horrible! I am only a machine!’ But if I should find out I were a machine, my attitude would be totally different. I would say: ‘How amazing! I never before realised that machines could be so marvellous!’”~ Raymond Smullyan from his book This Book Needs No Title. Hat tip Stephen Hicks, who reckons this to be his favourite response on the issue of 'physicalism' and human dignity.
Saturday, 30 November 2024
What if man were 'just' some kind of a machine?
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It doesn't matter if you keep the right relationship between reality and ideas - that reality through observation comes first, and ideas are just useful tools to capture that reality. In this case, the capacity of humans is on display everywhere, and that's what matters - however you describe it or terminology you use. It's only if you treat ideas as primary and determinants of your place in the world would it matter.
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