Evolution is a basic, biological process

Evolution of the mind? Why in your opinion is this problematic?
The brian is a organ that has devleoped to process the sensory information of the body, the mind is a by product of the brain. It stands to reason that the more intelligent the organism the more devolped congnitive processes will be and hence the illusion of a self/mind. "thinking substances" do not exist IMO. Dualism is an attempt to infer supernatural orgins and mechanisms that have yet been explained naturally. Why infer the mind as separate? Evolution of the stomach or evolution of the lungs do not pose a problem because we can explain much of the physiology and mechanisms that these organs operate on. But not to long ago it was thought that the brains purpose was to cool the blood. I guess this is what you mean by problematic, that people can not understand how the mind can exist given that it is not composed of matter.

Who is the very question, the SELF. 'What' is the sum of all matter that makes up the body and over time adapted a sense of SELF that separates the world from you.
You have to have a brain to have an illusion. The mind is the illusion. The mind is IMO the function of the brain, much like a calculation is the function of a calculator.
If you damage the calculator then you damage the ability of the calculator to perform that function. Same as the brain. If you are rendered "brain" dead due to an accident, then where is this mind you are refering to? If I corrupt the calculator then the data is corrupted. If I corrupt the brain, does the mind as well become corrupt? Where is the mind during the embryo stage of human development? Can you not see the mind does not exist at all it is a word used to describe the sum total of all your brains input and output. A word not a entity and not something that exist outside of your brain. If your brain dies so goes this thing your brain imagines is you. No brain, no illusion. No illusion, no mind. Just my own opinion.

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"One is punished most for ones virtues" Fredrick Neitzche

The brain does not think it has created a mind. The mind is what is the results from the brain thinking. But the mind is a word, not an entity. It does not exist apart from the brain. The brian prevades the mind. IMO. The mind probably evolved because humans began to see themselves a separate and began to maintain a sense of self. I put my hand in the fire and "I" get burned. When I think about moving my hand "I" can move it, or not move it. What is this thing that is getting burned? What is this thing that is moving or not moving it's hand? What is this thing that is thinking these thoughts? This thing is a collection of organic materials minerals and water. Nothing more. And when you die that is all that is left.

Robinro..etc..(to lazy to type the rest of your screen name)
I fully agree that animals are concious, since humans fall into that catagory. Many many animals are concious in my opinion. But not all animals are sentinent.As far as the brain not being capable of an illusion is silly, every time you dream the brian formulates all manner of illusions. Or do you wake up with Jessica Simpson in your bed? My point about the mind being an illusion is to say I do not believe there is a physical thing or separate thing that exist called the mind. My whole point was it is a word not an substance. Dualism and metaphysics and Aristotilian phylosophy do assign supernatural properties to the mind because humans want to feel that something apart from they're physical body exist.The mind is often described as the soul, the SELF, the life force. I say it does not exist apart from human wishful thinking. Dogs, Gorillas, Chimps do not concern themselves with such nuerotic thoughts. Does that mean they do not have a mind? Or does it mean they have not evolved to achieve a mind? Is the mind only a human condition? Or is the mind only present in creatures with enough intellect to be deemed worthy of the WORD mind.I have seen documentries of chimps being trained to recognize words and use tools. Do they have this thing called a mind? Do you see my point at all? Where is this mind if the brain dies? Is the brain the mind? I say no. The mind is an illusion of the brain achieving a sense of Self, a sense of separateness, conciousness becoming sentient and asking what am I? What is my mind? Why am I here? What is my reason for being? What happens to my SELF when I die? Daddy tell me a bed time story.

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"One is punished most for ones virtues" Fredrick Neitzche

Yes. Why is this a problem?The brain is a physical object. The brain assimulates information. The brain stores the information. The information can be distorted. The information can be corrupted. The information can be lost. The information can be forgotten. The brian can imagine things that are not representative of reality. The brain can certainly have illusions.
If you do not think that is so then how do magic tricks work? Or why does someone cross a intersection they swore was empty and then get hammered by a car? Why would someone think they are Joan of Arc? When was the last time you misplaced something only to find it right were you left it?Are you losing your mind? How did you lose it? Where did it go? If it does in fact exist then there should be some way to show evidence for it. Like Crashfrogs gravity, I can not touch gravity but the effects are undeniable. How about the mind? Does the mind hold up to the same scrutiny? I can not touch it, I can not feel it's affects either. How do I know the mind exist?Because it doesnt...it is a word. MIND= word not physical. If you have some evidence to support your claim that the mind is anything more than the manifestation of the brain then please provide the evidence. If you have evidence to support your claim that the brain does not manifest illusions simply because it is physical then show that evidence as well. Other wise you are simply stating that you do not agree which is fine but not evidence. And I know already how passionate you are about the mind. Is it the last bastion that keeps you from your personal pit of nihlism? Well sorry to rain on your parade but the mind is a terrible thing to waste, especially since it is nothing more than a description of the process of thought.

Hello, this is (l. whatever) I do not suppose you know the Golden ratio Phi so I wont hold that against you. I do not suppose you approximate your check book balance to one significant digit either. Since my views are held in contempt I can understand wanting to bastardize my chosen screen name in a feable attempt to show contempt. I think thats funny, immature, juvenile, but funny non the less. You see the brain as a interface between the mind and body? Then what happens if the brain ceases to function? What does the mind do? Take a vaction in the lungs? Or perhaps it just hangs around the Cerebellum knitting a sweater. Or What happens if the brian is damaged? does the mind suffer damage too? How can something that is non corporal be damaged? Unless the mind is simply data. I keep asking proponents of this kind of 'beliefs' this same questions and get no answers. Why? Perhaps because it is easier to suggest ignorant claims than it is to support them?

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"One is punished most for ones virtues" Fredrick Neitzche

Or.....simply "a bad bit of something I ate...there is more gravy to you than the grave." Scrooge "A Christmas Carol"

Phi, that will do.
No but I am going to google it now.
Thanks.

Hello, I agree with your post. I am in the medical field and have witnessed first hand many instances of brain damage caused by either trauma or disease. I have searched the faces of those who are in the grim reality of losing they're brian function. Nothing is there when the lights go out. Nothing but meat. I can see why many believe the mind is the life force/soul/self. Yes it is a person, yes it is someones loved one, and yes I grieve with they're loss.However, I have seen nothing that leads me to believe there is a ghost in the shell. People in general want to believe that, it is comforting to think we continue beyond our mortal body. But we are no different than any other organism on this Earth.IMO.We are composed of the same stardust that makes up all other creatures. We are born, we consume, we die. I believe energy is the currency of the universe. So make the most of it is my motto. And for those who believe otherwise, I respect everyones beliefs. Just do not attempt to pass those "beliefs" off as facts. Every person must come to they're own understanding in they're own time. Unfortunatley some run out of time before ever even considering the questions.
"A life unexamined is not worth living" Socrates Peace be with you.

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"One is punished most for ones virtues" Fredrick Neitzche

Hi Abbey, heres everything you ever wanted to know about phiand perhaps some things you didnt know. Peace.

Neds right, all is forgiven. Be of good cheer.