Mormonism and Evolution

The catch-all forum for general topics and debates. Minimal moderation. Rated PG to PG-13.
Post Reply
_Jersey Girl
_Emeritus
Posts: 34407
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:16 am

Re: Mormonism and Evolution

Post by _Jersey Girl »

Let me try this another way, Frank.

To be clear are you saying that the brain in its wiring is responsible for all of my thoughts? If you feel this way I have to ask about the soul or spirit of a person. If my thoughts came from evolution and the development of the brain and no other source then we have no soul or spirit. Our thoughts are an illusion and are the work of the initial wiring and developed structure from the environment and a collection of memories. Let me know how you see this and then we can chat some more. I sure don't want to place words in your mouth like a belief in evolution would seem to dictate.



I think I really screwed this up. :-) I think your brain is responsible for your ability to think. Was that more clear?

I'll probably screw this up multiple times. Just trust me.

:-D
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
_Ceeboo
_Emeritus
Posts: 7625
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 1:58 am

Re: Mormonism and Evolution

Post by _Ceeboo »

Jersey Girl wrote:
Dig this. Why is it that human beings appear to be the only beings that have the capacity for metacognition?


Dig this, Jersey Girl.

Maybe not all the way through the evolution process, yet, but skunks have been tested and the results seem clear that they possess the capacity for thinking about stinking. (That's pretty close!)

Peace,
Ceeboo
_Franktalk
_Emeritus
Posts: 2689
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:28 am

Re: Mormonism and Evolution

Post by _Franktalk »

Jersey Girl wrote:I think I really screwed this up. :-) I think your brain is responsible for your ability to think. Was that more clear?

I'll probably screw this up multiple times. Just trust me.

:-D


In this area there are so many unknowns that everyone is in the fog.

Let me share my beliefs about the flesh and the spirit so we can have some place to start. It is my belief that our spirit is in control of some upper level functions of the brain. But the brain is required as a link to this world of flesh. That is why a brain injury stops the spirit from accessing this world in a normal way. Now according to evolutionary theory there is no spirit and all functions of thinking come from the brain and no outside influence occurs.

I also believe that there are at least two levels of thinking. One in which the brain is involved and another that has a connection to our spirit and the spirit world. I think this later path was proven to exist some time ago. But that is another subject.

The point I am trying to make is that the higher functions of the brain are not explained by evolutionary theory. I used the idea of purpose or meaning of life as examples of higher functions of thought. If we consider all of the happy mutations that would be required to make the brain into a system that has the ability to ponder these issues I think we have hit the limit of what evolution can do. In fact I would say we have gone way past the point where evolutionary theory could explain how our current brain and abilities developed. Remember that small steps got us here according to the theory. So how did small steps lead us to the higher order functions? If indeed a complex brain is required then what led us to this point? How is survival linked to small steps in system development that leads to a brain that ponders our own existence? I just want someone who is firmly in the evolutionary camp to describe to me how this could have happened.
_ludwigm
_Emeritus
Posts: 10158
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:07 am

Re: Mormonism and Evolution

Post by _ludwigm »

Jersey Girl wrote: :-) I think your brain is responsible for your ability to think. Was that more clear?

I'll probably screw this up multiple times. Just trust me.

:-D

Our brain is responsible for our ability for not think.
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco
- To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
_Jersey Girl
_Emeritus
Posts: 34407
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:16 am

Re: Mormonism and Evolution

Post by _Jersey Girl »

ludwigm wrote:
Jersey Girl wrote: :-) I think your brain is responsible for your ability to think. Was that more clear?

I'll probably screw this up multiple times. Just trust me.

:-D

Our brain is responsible for our ability for not think.


A Hungarian to English translator is responsible for that sentence!

I love your posts, ludwigm.

:-)
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
_Jersey Girl
_Emeritus
Posts: 34407
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:16 am

Re: Mormonism and Evolution

Post by _Jersey Girl »

ludwigm wrote:
Jersey Girl wrote: :-) I think your brain is responsible for your ability to think. Was that more clear?

I'll probably screw this up multiple times. Just trust me.

:-D

Our brain is responsible for our ability for not think.


A Hungarian to English translator is responsible for that sentence!

I love your posts, ludwigm.

:-)
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
_ludwigm
_Emeritus
Posts: 10158
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:07 am

Re: Mormonism and Evolution

Post by _ludwigm »

Jersey Girl wrote:A Hungarian to English translator is responsible for that sentence!
I love your posts, ludwigm.
:-)
Jersey Girl wrote:the same

1. What kind of You who says everything twice everything twice?
This is of one of OUR humorists, Frigyes Karinthy. The native form of this personal name is Karinthy Frigyes. We write names backwards, as Japs. Weird, eh?
One of his literary parodies called "That's How YOU Write", and there are writers/poets who repeat their words (because they were paid by "n", the count of characters written.)

My Hungarian to English translator is me. Hungarians are Martians, - if You know or don't know - and I am one of them. A meek one, even You can not detect it.

2. Feel free to teach me English, in ANY environment.
Really. Seriously.

3. There is no such thing as Hungarian to English translator. The google one is making us laugh.
The google English to Hungarian is far worse. It makes us suffer.
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco
- To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
Post Reply