Philosophy of the Hard Problem

True but just to play devil's advocate some would say that he had intervened. Another separate take on it (as god's apologist) might be that if he intervened, he would have to intervene incessantly which one could argue might ruin the whole point of life. I don't necessarily subscribe to that, though. I would always intervene but then again who'd have me as god  .

If people really do plan their lives before they are born, it is interesting to speculate what that planning process might consist of.

Could it be that we each get to choose a version of Earth's timeline to suit our purposes? Versions of Earth that differed by only one random quantum transition could easily diverge into something significant. I think this is somewhat related to what I was trying to get at with my "Time Forks" discussion.

If people really do plan their lives before they are born, it is interesting to speculate what that planning process might consist of.

I tend to think it depends on what we did or where we left off last time. I'm quite sure that we come back over and over again. I don't think earth is a school as such, I suspect it's a place to experience what can't be experienced where we come from. But why anyone would want to experience some of the things that occur here, beats me. 

Could it be that we each get to choose a version of Earth's timeline to suit our purposes? Versions of Earth that differed by only one random quantum transition could easily diverge into something significant. I think this is somewhat related to what I was trying to get at with my "Time Forks" discussion.

   
First sentence, maybe. Not sure what quantum transition is...? Or Time forks.

I tend to think it depends on what we did or where we left off last time. I'm quite sure that we come back over and over again. I don't think earth is a school as such, I suspect it's a place to experience what can't be experienced where we come from. But why anyone would want to experience some of the things that occur here, beats me. 

   
First sentence, maybe. Not sure what quantum transition is...? Or Time forks.

Well I don't know if you know anything about QM. If you don't, look at it this way. When Dean Radin wants a truly random number generator, he uses a device that uses quantum effects to produce a random stream of zeros and ones. I tend to assume (see Henry Stapp) that consciousness acts on the physical universe via its role in QM, where it is usually referred to as 'the observer'. Each one of those random numbers represents a branch point - either..., or...

Well I don't know if you know anything about QM.

Not too much and and what I do know I don't really understand.

When Dean Radin wants a truly random number generator, he uses a device that uses quantum effects to produce a random stream of zeros and ones.

Yes, I've heard of that. Just as an aside, I think I remember Max had issues about it being affected by outside fields. I think he actually contacted Radin about it.
 

I tend to assume (see Henry Stapp) that consciousness acts on the physical universe via its role in QM, where it is usually referred to as 'the observer'. Each one of those random numbers represents a branch point - either..., or...

 
Personally, I think that QM is unlikely to be able to account for consciousness but of course it looks like it has something to do with it.

Not too much and and what I do know I don't really understand.


Yes, I've heard of that. Just as an aside, I think I remember Max had issues about it being affected by outside fields. I think he actually contacted Radin about it.

Well I only introduced it as a kind of short cut to illustrate the point that the QM reality is intrinsically indeterminate, and you can think of that as a branching set of possibilities. Indeed, QM is well known for having multiple possible 'interpretations' and one guy, Hugh Everett, actually developed the "Many Worlds" interpretation around that idea.

 
 
Personally, I think that QM is unlikely to be able to account for consciousness but of course it looks like it has something to do with it.

Well yes, I don't think it accounts for consciousness, but it provides a viable way in which consciousness could be coupled with physical matter. I don't think anything will explain consciousness - it presumably just is, and it probably grounds absolutely everything.

BTW, I think it is really unfortunate that QM is a bit obscure, and mathematicians have piled in to make it much harder to read, but I do feel that even a little understanding of it really helps in connection with understanding the mind body problem.

It is possible to read about it if you search for a description that uses the minimum amount of mathematical complexity. If you still remember any calculus from school, it is probably worth a shot. Maybe learning a bit is like learning meditation (something I know I should try in a more serious way), it gives you a different way to think about things.

This isn't too bad, but I admit there is still way too much jargon in it!

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/physics/quv...ator2.html

I think we can derive some clues from reliable reports, if there are multiple matching experiences. This NDE contains some interesting elements related to what we've been discussing. It's a genuine one, I've seen pictures of him hospitalised but of course I'm not saying "look at this" and believe. 

 Near-Death Experience | Josef Streisselberger, Austria (with English Voiceover) - YouTube  Around 6.20