Keith Ward - What is Panpsychism?

Panpsychism is the extreme claim that everything in the physical world—all subatomic particles-are in some sense ‘conscious’ or have a basic kind of ‘proto-consciousness’. Why are an increasing number of leading philosophers taking panpsychism seriously? Something must be up. Could it be doubt that the scientific project to explain consciousness has failed?

Keith Ward is a British philosopher, theologian, pastor and scholar. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and (since 1972) an ordained priest of the Church of England. He was a canon of Christ Church, Oxford until 2003. Comparative theology and the relationship between science and religion are two of his main topics of interest.

Closer to Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[thomassoliton]

So you can’t quantify consciousness; you can’t measure it, you can’t even define it. “It’s like happiness”. So it’s just a feeling? Essentially all you can say about consciousness is (1) you have it, (2) everyone else agrees they have it, and (3) you have no clue what it is. I know what it is though. I’ll give you a clue and see if you can figure it out. “Consciousness is not what you think it is. Consciousness is what you think it was.” Sure, that makes no more sense than all the other discussion provided here. And yet, it is closer to the truth!

[quantumkath]

I won't deny it. I sometimes talk to things! It's only if they talk back should I worry 😊

[nyworker]

You can say there is proto-rain or elements of rain drops in each H2O molecule.

[emil_rainbow]

Being. The universe is being itself and we are a curious expression of this totality.

[tac]

I'm preparing to install a ceiling fan this morning. I will first complete my morning cleaning routine.

[beautaplin]

That this has only 15k views is entirely disheartening—that only so many of of us are gifted enough to be exploring the new true theory of the nature of existence, what a burden to carry.

[rajendrarajasingam]

Consciousness is beyond scientific realm. We always say God is love, God is truth etc. Certainly it can't be of evil nature. But we can say love, truth, consciousness are all inherent nature of God which exhibit itself simultaneously. This is not a metaphysical phenomenon. In quantum science a particle can exhibit and act as both particle as well as waves. Water can exist as vabour and ice . Then why can't consciousness takes personalised forms to exibit different aspect of human life like love, intelligent. Material prosperity etc.which is in alignment with human emotions. A student naturally want to pray the the God in the form of a a lady in white dressing a white lotus. Just imagine how it influences hiss mind.

[SRAVALM]

5:39 that is 'Via Negativa' and not agnosticism. Via Negativa is a knowledge of: Knows as, from what is of - netti netti. Knowledge of is realm of attributes, Knowledge as is the metaphysics principles.
Again, I'm not impressed. Physicists are clueless.

[browngreen]

Humans have two inherent natures. One is the rational belief that outside of living creatures, existence is dead and unfeeling. But in the back of our minds is the haunting suspicion that everything that exists is animate with some degree of will and intelligence. Most likely that is merely a projection of our own powers -- but you never know what might be hiding within Existence itself.

[quakers]

I think you can quantify consciousness, happiness and a great number of things but not God. There is a whole science on anesthesiology that measures how much or little response we have while under the influence of drugs. I think we have categorized degrees of awareness including self awareness for the animal kingdoms. There are certainly methods of determining happiness mostly somewhat self assessment but also brain scans and blood work that gives us a general grasp. God on the other hand measures not on any scale.

[readyfireaim]

Monad = the zero-dimensional space holding our quarks together with the Strong Nuclear Force.

Soul = the totality of a person's quark mass (measured in Megaelectron Volts).

Quarks have mass but no size (no spatial extension) and if they aren't here, they're there.

Read Leibniz 📚.

[yifuxero]

OK, looking through Robert's hosted videos, he consistently asks the question "What is Consciousness", but has a not so hidden concern of dualistic life after physical death as a "Soul".. Questions relating to the existence of a "Soul" or the nature of the Judaeo-Christian Creator God YHVH are largely unanswerable from the POV of Advaita Vedanta and Mahayana Buddhism. One might say, "Buddhists don't believe the Soul exists". Not quite true. Certain Tibetan Buddhists schools per "Book of the Dead", have prayers for the person (dead physically or near) to travel through the Bardos (interdimensional planes), and reach the Clear Light of the Void., NOT dissolving relatively speaking into nothing. But no problem: Transcend the Bardos while living by accessing "Mahamritunjaya manatra - Sacred Sounds Choir". Listen to it for 5 min per day for at least two weeks and eventually merge into the Pure Light of the Void.

[maxwellsimoes]

It is baseless abstract of the conscieness. Before describes his concepts guys hasnt defines conscieness. Consciencess are unpredicted NEVER still definition so far. Guys shows he conscieness are lacking neurosicience standard model.

[igoldenknight]

I like the idea of proto consciousness and that God is somehow a part of that

[jamesruscheinski]

where empirical science is verified by measurement, could consciousness be mathematical with probabilities?

[qazwsxedcrfvtgb]

Zimba Blue from love death robots explains this really well.

[AdrianSlo]

Why start with an idea that there is matter? it's just an idea, not a reality. This goes to the ''matter is fundamental'' people

[justin]

Particles do not have to be conscious but may be able to contain information, which would technically make them observe. A photon that travels a billion light years may carry information that shows us the light's origin here on earth.

[infinidimensionalinfinitie]

his belief, that the conscious world can't ever be measured accurately, collapses his understanding of the wave-forms. ...or it did during this interview. maybe he's changed his belief system since then.

[Masterfailure-bi]

This all sounds like pure pseudoscience woo woo