Philosophical musings on Quanta & Qualia; Materialism & Spiritualism; Science & Religion; Pragmatism & Idealism, etc.
Mind Power is a form of Energy
Post 49 .August 10, 2018 continued . . .
Mental versus Physical Causation Mind as Executive Function
We know the world via our senses, which are attuned to the physical properties of matter & energy, such as the electro-magnetic frequencies we interpret as color, and the tangible differences we sense as texture. But we also infer some non-physical properties via our sixth sense of Reason. Yet pragmatic science assumes that anything not detectable by our physical senses, or by their mechanical extensions, is unreal — merely a side effect of brain operations. That materialistic presumption also applies to causality, in which physical events are predictably followed by effects in the real world; but, non-physical events, such as conscious thoughts, are effective only within the body. Those metaphysical activities are called "brain functions", and while personally useful, they are not in the mainstream of objective causation. Nevertheless, for ordinary humans, they are not mere side-effects, but our direct link to reality.
Functions1 are usually dependent on, and emergent from, a precedent cause : B is a function of A. But physical effects normally pass-on some of their recieved energy to other physical things : A B C. That is a primary function of billiard balls. So, why would we expect a brain function to be a dead end? Indeed, the "executive function"2 of human brains exerts causal control over physical behavior of the body. Which in turn, can impart causal force to other physical things. Yet we can't measure that mental "force" in terms of energy quantities. That's partly because will-power is holistic in nature, and can't be traced back to any particular brain bit3. Acts of Will are more like Experiences, which are Qualia that can't be easily quantified.
However, the "energy" or "force" or will-power of the brain can now be measured in terms of Information bits, as defined by Claude Shannon. It seems to be merely Energy in a different form, hence metaphysical Information can be a cause of physical energy and vice-versa4. Energy is an organizing force that always tends, over time, to fade into the disorder we call Entropy — unless more energy is pumped into the system. Likewise, Information is the meaningful organization of inputs from our senses. Yet, that orderly pattern can fade away into ignorance, just as memories in the brain fade, unless they are regularly refreshed. In living things, energy is utilized in various forms to serve the needs of the organism. And one of those forms is the metaphysical knowledge we call Information.
For example, the basic function of the brain is to process and organize information obtained by the senses in order to keep the body alive. We are not normally conscious of such low-level energy flows. But executive functions control our outward behavior, and are the objective face of the subjective mind, our behavior & personality. The conscious forms of information are called “thoughts & memories”. Consciousness is our link be-tween inner & outer reality, yet it's not a physical sense or material property of the brain, but an immaterial function of how the brain processes energy & information. In Math, a function is defined as a ratio between two or more values – a relationship, not a thing. It's a measure of difference5, not of space or time. In minds it's a holistic property of zillions of brain cells, in the form of organized inter-related sub-functions. So, we refer to that ability to make distinctions, to discern ratios & proportions as Reason : the rational faculty. So, the executive function causes rational action or behavior, which is meaningful to the mind because it is useful to the body in some way.
Post 49 continued . . . click Next
1. Function : Activity, Behavior, Role, Operation, Objective, Task, Purpose, Mission, Utility, Service, Work, raison d'être
2. Executive Function : The ability to consciously control our interactions with the world is what disting-uishes humans from robots & zombies. We know what we are doing and why. We are not merely puppets controlled by outside forces, we are causal forces in ourselves. We are able to make executive choices that affect people & things outside our bodies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_functions
4. Energy/Information Equivalence : Physicists have learned how to convert metaphysical Information into physical energy. https://physicsworld.com/a/information-converted-to-energy/ Information in the form of mental operations and will-power can impart some of its “force” to the outside physical world, but only by converting Intention into Energy. The notion of psychic transfer directly from mind to mind is appealing, but has never been demonstrated in the real world, under controlled conditions. Nevertheless, magicians and con-artists can fake it, and gullible folks will buy it.
5. Information = difference Information is a meaningful distinction between things or events.
<< What we mean by information - the elementary unit of information - is a difference which makes a difference, and it is able to make a difference because the neural pathways along which it travels and is continuously transformed are themselves provided with energy. . . . But what is a difference? A difference is a very peculiar and obscure concept. It is certainly not a thing or an event. This piece of paper is different from the wood of this lectern. There are many differences between them-of color, texture, shape, etc. But if we start to ask about the localization of those differences, we get into trouble. Obviously the difference between the paper and the wood is not in the paper; it is obviously not in the wood; it is obviously not in the space between them, and it is obviously not in the time between them. (Difference which occurs across time is what we call "change.") >> —Gregory Bateson
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