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Science Forum Index » Bio Evolution Forum » What is the evolutionary explanation of consciousness?
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| Phil Roberts, Jr. |
 Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:40 am |
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Phil Roberts, Jr. wrote:
Quote:
If you assume, as I do, that 'feelings of worthlessness'
(e.g., guilt) are a maladaptive byproduct of the evolution
of rationality, then you would be lead to suspect that
conscience is one of the constraints we impose upon
ourselves in order to justify our existence, in this
case by conforming to a standard of rationality in which
'being rational' is simply a matter of 'being objective',
such as is implicit in the moral maxim, 'Love (intrinsically
value) your neighbor as you love (intrinsically value)
yourself'. Of course, none of us can live up to this
standard, but we nonetheless come to experience feelings
of worthlessness (guilt) when we deviate from the standard
to an unreasonable degree. IOW, conscience is a part
of the price we humans have had to pay for having become
a litte too objective for our own good.
second iteration:
Conscience is a maladaptive manifestation of our need to
justify our existence, in this case by conforming to a
shared subconscious theory of rationality in which 'being
rational' is simply a matter of 'being objective', as
exemplified in the moral maxim, 'Love (intrinsically
value) your neighbor as you love (intrinsically value)
yourself'. Although none of us can actually measure up
to this standard, we nonetheless come to experience
feelings of worthlessness (guilt) along with a
corresponding reduction in the will to survive
(depression) when we deviate from the standard to an
unreasonable degree. In other words, conscience is a
part of the price we humans have had to pay for having
become a little too objective for our own good. (Phil
Roberts, Jr.) |
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