imported post
imperialism2024 wrote:
So, now, look at children who have been locked up in a room by themselves since birth, or children raised in the wild, and tell me that there isn't a huge environmental role in the development of people. Genetics provide the psychological processes that allow children to learn and develop, and introduce some predispositions into how that person will develop. The point is... people are who the world made them, and my heathen science proves this fairly well.
OK. Ground rules first. I'm not fighting with you. I'm fighting with the doctrines and the people who foist these doctrines on the rest of us in a perversion of the word science.
The more we accept these ideas uninspected, the riskier for rights. Lets do a little inspecting.
Lets look at the information that genetics provide the psychological processes that allow children to learn and develop. Since its been around for a while, I'll assume its not your original idea; thus I'm not trying to tread on your toes.
The physical universe has one particular characteristic that has a bearing on the matter: mechanical cause and effect. This includes forceor energy. And the physical universe lacks a particular characteristic that has a bearing on the matter: the ability tocreate.
This doesn't even particularly have to get into religion. Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Christian. One need not consult their doctrines. One doesn't need to discuss God. All one need do is look around and consult experience. No faith required.
A rock rolls down a hill, bumps another rock, and the second rock starts to move. Or two billiard balls collide,and each heads in a new direction. Ask yourself.Have you ever seen a rock or billiard ball create a new direction of travel independent of mechanical causes? Have you every seen the physical universe make an original creation that couldn't be traced back to a mechanical cause? Its phenomena, as far as we can measure with certainty, always trace back to a mechanical cause. No original creation. A rolling rock or billiard ball never change their course unless there is a mechanical cause.
Yet people can create.They can create original art. They can decide to do all sorts of original things without first receivinga mechanical cause.
This is another way of saying people can be an original cause. The physical universe can't. There is always an earlier mechanical cause.People can be an original cause.
And an original cause is the antithesis of "who the world made them." "Who the world made them" essentially says that people are the effect of the world around them. Yet we have clear evidence that people can be an original cause. Every day. Every person (almost).
If people's thoughts and actions were just the products of their brain chemical reactions,
all behaviorwould be predictable, foreordained by the chemical make-up.Yet people docreatewithout having received a mechanical cause--a stimulus.
Call it a divine spark, life essence, soul, whatever you want. Or don't call it anything.You and I need not know what it is, nor understand it. We only need to be able to see for ourselves whether our personal observations contradict the assertions of their so-called science.
Perhaps a little closer to home is the idea of personal responsibility. This is closely tied to original cause. In fact it is the same thing. Ifmy impulses,my thoughts are merely the product of my brain chemicals, then I am not an original cause. Therefore I am not responsible for my actions.Also, there would be no point in feeling guilty for having done wrong--I wasn't responsible. Only when I am the original cause am I responsible.
There is something about each person that is free of the physical universe. Free to create things for its fellows and itself. Free to be an original cause.
The assertion under color of science that thought is just a product of chemical reactions denies that freedom.What other basis for Freedom is there?
