It’s wild that consciousness is so overlooked. Especially here in the west we really took the “science will explain it one day” way too seriously. It’s unfortunate bc most theology conversations skip past the fundementals of existence, consciousness, bliss and go right to the gods fighting for our souls bit
I agree that consciousness is the sort of wonder before all wonders. That we don't reflect on it betrays something about our way of thinking, something that not good.
Awareness (or consciousness) is not an object. It is that by which objects are known. And I don't mean "object" in a purely physical sense but rather anything mental or physical (or spiritual) which awareness may "know"; if awareness was an object, then it would require another awareness to know it and thus an infinite regression would occur. Also, it makes no sense to say that awareness could be produced from objects which themselves are lacking in awareness. Rather, a top-down ontology wherein consciousness manifests as objects of experience seems most plausible (although inexplicable in many ways)
Whenever someone references "two different kinds of things", I am immediately suspect. I see no reason to believe that mind and experiences are a different kind of thing. We are in the early days of understanding the brain.
Words and/or terms like quantitative third person evidence, qualitative first person experience etc. are not "elevated language". Attempts to explain Hart's langue usually result in more convoluted langauge that is less clear. I hope I am not just being obnoxious. I mean no disrespect.
I do not understand what people find so difficult about David Bentley Hart's language. I am not from an English speaking country, I am not a philosopher and I don't even have a Masters degree let a lone a Phd. , yet I have no trouble reading Hart. It seems to me, that Hart chooses to say plainly what he means with the precision required by the issues he is attempting to discuss. How is it that native English speakers with an education superior to my own can have trouble reading Hart when I do not???
It’s wild that consciousness is so overlooked. Especially here in the west we really took the “science will explain it one day” way too seriously.
It’s unfortunate bc most theology conversations skip past the fundementals of existence, consciousness, bliss and go right to the gods fighting for our souls bit
I agree that consciousness is the sort of wonder before all wonders. That we don't reflect on it betrays something about our way of thinking, something that not good.
Awareness (or consciousness) is not an object. It is that by which objects are known. And I don't mean "object" in a purely physical sense but rather anything mental or physical (or spiritual) which awareness may "know"; if awareness was an object, then it would require another awareness to know it and thus an infinite regression would occur. Also, it makes no sense to say that awareness could be produced from objects which themselves are lacking in awareness. Rather, a top-down ontology wherein consciousness manifests as objects of experience seems most plausible (although inexplicable in many ways)
Whenever someone references "two different kinds of things", I am immediately suspect. I see no reason to believe that mind and experiences are a different kind of thing. We are in the early days of understanding the brain.
Words and/or terms like quantitative third person evidence, qualitative first person experience etc. are not "elevated language".
Attempts to explain Hart's langue usually result in more convoluted langauge that is less clear.
I hope I am not just being obnoxious. I mean no disrespect.
I do not understand what people find so difficult about David Bentley Hart's language. I am not from an English speaking country, I am not a philosopher and I don't even have a Masters degree let a lone a Phd. , yet I have no trouble reading Hart. It seems to me, that Hart chooses to say plainly what he means with the precision required by the issues he is attempting to discuss. How is it that native English speakers with an education superior to my own can have trouble reading Hart when I do not???
Because it can’t
No, it cannot. But neither can religion.