>>All the intelligence and
consciousness that represents you and me will continue on. But where?<<
I always wonder what people mean when they say this. Unless they mean "in my children," or "in those I've taught," that sort of thing. But usually they mean something other than that.
It makes me want to ask questions. The best one, of course, Bob just asked-- "Where will the intelligence and consciousness that now reside in my brain reside after my brain is dust?"
But I wonder other things, too. I have a daughter who was born with diffuse brain atrophy. She is profoundly retarded. Her "IQ" is 4. (The number 4, not the age.) Will her intelligence and "consciousness" continue on, in your opinion, Bob? Rick? And if it will continue on, will it continue on in this terribly damaged state, or will she "be" the individual she might have been, will "all the intelligence" that would have been rightly hers, had it not been for a mysterious viral disease that struck her in utero, become hers after her afflicted physical brain has died? It seems an odd state of affairs (to phrase it euphemistically) to think that because of a little virus, affecting her physical brain, my girl's "consciousness" and "intelligence" should continue in this piteous state for an infinity of time.
Sometimes, trying to fathom what people who say such things as that their consciousness and intelligence with continue on without a brain, I wonder if they mean something like "as long as there is consciousness and intelligence, qualities I now partake of, there is a sense in which "I," as redefined to eliminate the 'I-ness' part, the ego I guess you could call it, continue... in a way."
But then let's say all humanity ends. Let's say we have a denuded planet. A few animal species, insects....In that case, do you feel your intelligence and consciousness still continue?
To me it is like saying that without a heart, you will still have a heartbeat, without a pancreas, you will secrete insulin, without feet, you'll still have to cut your toenails. |
