10 min

19 - Panpsychism: "Show me the evidence!‪"‬ Walden Pod

    • Philosophy

We answer one of the more common challenges issued to panpsychists: some variation of “Show me the evidence.” We discuss whether panpsychism can be tested, our theory of mind module, emergence, Descartes's conception of matter, Occam’s Razor, and the fact that consciousness is always inferred, never observed.




“We can but infer sentience rather than verify it, and people will differ in their guessed inferences: some might stop sentience at the lobster limit, others might stop at the beetle border – but why stop at all? If one demands a stop, the determining criterion must be established.”


- Peter Sjöstedt-H




“How do the combined material objects that make up a human body change from a state of being non-conscious to a state of being conscious? There are three possible answers: i) They don’t. Human beings are not conscious. ii) A miracle happens. A conscious state ‘emerges’ from non-conscious matter. iii) They don’t. Consciousness already exists within the matter our brains are made from.”


- Tim Bollands





Can Panpsychism be tested? - Philip Goff [Conscience and Consciousness]

Emerson Green and Aaron Rabinowitz debate panpsychism on The Right to Reason podcast: https://player.fm/series/the-right-to-reason-2362355/panpsychism-debate




New music used with permission from ichika nito


ichika Nito’s YouTube channel




Transcripts available at emersongreenblog.wordpress.com





Rate the show on iTunes here




Support on Patreon here

or if you prefer to give a one-time donation, you can do so with Venmo (@emersongreenpodcast)





Listen to our sister show Counter Apologetics here





Subscribe to CA and Walden Pod on YouTube here




Contact me at emersongreen@protonmail.com or on Facebook

We answer one of the more common challenges issued to panpsychists: some variation of “Show me the evidence.” We discuss whether panpsychism can be tested, our theory of mind module, emergence, Descartes's conception of matter, Occam’s Razor, and the fact that consciousness is always inferred, never observed.




“We can but infer sentience rather than verify it, and people will differ in their guessed inferences: some might stop sentience at the lobster limit, others might stop at the beetle border – but why stop at all? If one demands a stop, the determining criterion must be established.”


- Peter Sjöstedt-H




“How do the combined material objects that make up a human body change from a state of being non-conscious to a state of being conscious? There are three possible answers: i) They don’t. Human beings are not conscious. ii) A miracle happens. A conscious state ‘emerges’ from non-conscious matter. iii) They don’t. Consciousness already exists within the matter our brains are made from.”


- Tim Bollands





Can Panpsychism be tested? - Philip Goff [Conscience and Consciousness]

Emerson Green and Aaron Rabinowitz debate panpsychism on The Right to Reason podcast: https://player.fm/series/the-right-to-reason-2362355/panpsychism-debate




New music used with permission from ichika nito


ichika Nito’s YouTube channel




Transcripts available at emersongreenblog.wordpress.com





Rate the show on iTunes here




Support on Patreon here

or if you prefer to give a one-time donation, you can do so with Venmo (@emersongreenpodcast)





Listen to our sister show Counter Apologetics here





Subscribe to CA and Walden Pod on YouTube here




Contact me at emersongreen@protonmail.com or on Facebook

10 min