Morality

[henry quirk]

Dana, there's is nothing about an EEG reading of my brain activity, as I think about pizza, that will tell you or anyone 'why' I like pizza, why I prefer the pizza from Joe's over Sal's, or why I prefer pepperoni to sausage.

To discover those things you must talk to 'me', not dissect or reduce me.

More generally: to determine why I value this or that, you must consult the source of the valuing (me), not my components.

Yes, it's all brain (embedded in body) function...electricity and chemicals and whatnot...but consulting parts and process tells you nothing about the person, the 'I'.

Even a casual review of the state of neuroscience (and all the eggheads looking to build HAL) illustrates there's no understanding of how 'self' works...yes, again, it's all electricity and chemicals (but working in most mysterious ways).

As I say 'each of us is wholly biological (no in-dwelling spirit that I can detect)', but I-ness (subjectivity, recognition of self, self-editing, self-determination, self-de-liberation, etc.) has yet to be explained (though many attempt to 'explain away').

All beside the point.

Morality is an esoteric tool (crafted or adopted) one uses to navigate the world according to personal preference and choice (the preferences and choices of the 'I', not the preferences and choices of an organ collection, though that, indeed, is what each is).


And: for the record, I never 'try to say' anything...I say exactly what I choose to, in the way I choose to...read the words for what's there, not what you think 'might' be there.