Why Materialism Is Baloney

Synopsis

The present framing of the cultural debate in terms of materialism versus religion has allowed materialism to go unchallenged as the only rationally-viable metaphysics. This book seeks to change this. It uncovers the absurd implications of materialism and then, uniquely, presents a hard-nosed non-materialist metaphysics substantiated by skepticism, hard empirical evidence, and clear logical argumentation. It lays out a coherent framework upon which one can interpret and make sense of every natural phenomenon and physical law, as well as the modalities of human consciousness, without materialist assumptions. According to this framework, the brain is merely the image of a self-localization process of mind, analogously to how a whirlpool is the image of a self-localization process of water. The brain doesn’t generate mind in the same way that a whirlpool doesn’t generate water. It is the brain that is in mind, not mind in the brain. Physical death is merely a de-clenching of awareness. The book closes with a series of educated speculations regarding the afterlife, psychic phenomena, and other related subjects.

Summary

Chapter 1: Materialism's Claims and Counterclaims

This chapter introduces materialism, the philosophical view that matter is the only reality and consciousness is a product of the brain. The author argues against materialism, claiming that it cannot account for the subjective experience of consciousness, which is a fundamental aspect of human existence.

Example: The author describes the experience of watching a sunset. Materialism cannot explain why this experience is accompanied by a sense of awe and wonder, as these subjective emotions are not reducible to physical processes in the brain.

Chapter 2: The Case for Dualism

The author presents dualism as an alternative to materialism. Dualism holds that the mind and body are two separate substances that interact with each other. The author argues that dualism can better account for the subjective experience of consciousness than materialism.

Example: The author cites the case of split-brain patients, whose brains have been severed into two hemispheres. These patients often exhibit different beliefs, desires, and emotions in each hemisphere, suggesting that consciousness is not solely dependent on the physical brain.

Chapter 3: The Problem of Qualia

Qualia are the subjective, qualitative aspects of conscious experience, such as the taste of coffee or the feeling of pain. The author argues that materialism cannot explain qualia, as they are not reducible to physical properties.

Example: The author asks the reader to imagine a red apple. The reader can visualize the color red and experience its qualitative aspect. How can materialism account for this subjective experience?

Chapter 4: The Epiphenomenal Paradox

Epiphenomenalism is a philosophical view that holds that consciousness is a byproduct of brain activity but has no causal effect on it. The author argues that epiphenomenalism is problematic because it implies that consciousness is irrelevant to human behavior.

Example: The author cites the example of a person who decides to eat a piece of cake. Epiphenomenalism implies that their decision was made solely by their brain activity, and their conscious experience of wanting cake did not play any role. However, this seems counterintuitive, as the person's subjective desire played a clear role in their choice.

Chapter 5: The Free Will Dilemma

Materialism challenges the concept of free will, claiming that our actions are determined by physical causes in the brain. The author argues against this view, maintaining that consciousness allows us to make genuine, autonomous choices.

Example: The author considers the scenario of a person driving a car and making a sudden decision to swerve to avoid an obstacle. Materialism implies that the person's decision was predetermined by brain activity, but the person experiences themselves as having made a conscious, spontaneous choice.