From his earliest recollections, Ian Wardell has been interested in what might be termed the ultimate questions of existence: Is there a reason why we're here? Why does this reality we find ourselves in have the characteristics it has? Why do we find ourselves existing on the surface of a giant water covered ball that floats in the midst of an eternal nothingness? Why is reality described by the particular laws we find? Does the Universe on the whole have some ultimate purpose? Why does anything exist rather than nothing at all? Do we have anomalous abilities such as psi? And perhaps, most importantly of all, will our consciousness continue in some form after our body dies, or will we simply cease to exist?
When considering psi, and especially the possibility of an afterlife, Ian Wardell has concluded proponents of these beliefs tend to concentrate solely on the available evidence; the philosophical aspects are left virtually untouched. Ian diverts from this pattern and places heavy importance on the latter. He, wholeheartedly, believes that philosophical aspects of the subject are critical to understanding and finding answers to those ultimate questions. So long as skeptics are allowed to get away with saying an afterlife and psi are extraordinary claims, that science supports materialism, that a damaged brain leading to a damaged mind provides very powerful evidence that the brain produces the mind, then proponents of an afterlife and psi will be on the defensive. So it is important to critically address and rebut skeptic claims here, and Ian Wardell has many blog posts that address precisely these issues.
Ian Wardell has earned an Honours Degree in the History of Ideas, achieving first class in the credit areas "the history and philosophy of science", "the mind body problem", "science and religion" and "the 17th Century, a changing world picture”. Ian Wardell has also read extensively on the various evidence for psi and an afterlife, and has done so since around the age of 10. All of his thoughts and ideas are laid bare here for you to absorb, argue, or simply contemplate.
Mostly philosophical topics, especially pertaining to the philosophy of mind and whether an afterlife makes sense.
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Bizarre Beliefs
Many philosophers and scientists have some truly bizarre beliefs. But undoubtedly, the denial of consciousness is the most bizarre. Indeed,...
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Well done!
ReplyDeleteHey Ian, was just reading your work on the causal efficacy of consciousness. I'm a free will libertarian and just wonder if you have any suggestions on other related things to read?
ReplyDeleteNo, I would have to do a Google search. To be honest, I think this idea we don't have free will is just confused.
DeleteI agree, the idea we don't have it is confused. Science cannot disprove it.
DeleteYour piece on the causal efficacy of consciousness was excellent btw
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