CONSCIOUSNESS AS A PREREQUISITE FOR SCIENCE AND RELIGION
Charles Champe Taliaferro
Revista Brasileira de Filosofia da Religião August 9, 2018 DOI: 10.26512/2358-82842017e11148 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that conscious intentionality is more certain than mind-independent physical objects, that science presupposes conscious, purposive selves, and that acknowledging the primacy of consciousness blocks a naturalist strategy and allows non-naturalist accounts such as theism to be entertained, with some objections to theism answerable on this basis. |
Abstract
A key concern philosophically today is how to square our common sense understanding of ourselves as intentional, conscious agents with a naturalist view of the cosmos, according to which the cosmos is non-teleological, non-purposive, and consisting of mind-less processes. One strategy has been for naturalists to deny the common sense understanding of ourselves. In this essay, the reality of conscious, intentionality is affirmed as being more certain than the existence and nature of mind-independent physical objects and events. Philosophers who in the name of science seek to eliminate consciousness do not appreciate that there cannot be science without scientists, conscious, purposive selves. Recognizing the primacy of consciousness blocks one naturalist strategy, leaving us open entertain non-naturalist accounts like theism, and some of the objections to theism can be countered once we recognize the robust reality of consciousness.