Wednesday, March 2, 2011

They're Made Out of Meat

Before you go on to read the rest of this post, go and read this. And if you feel like watching a video version of it, go watch this. But definitely read the article. And then come back here and attempt to follow my thought process ;-)

So you've just read and/or watched "They're Made Out of Meat" by Terry Bisson, a short and fairly amusing story that is by far the easiest thing we've had to read for philosophy class up to this point. But if you're not one of those people (like me) who believes in an all-powerful Creator who breathed life and a soul into us, this little tale raises some interesting and rather disturbing questions. We have a physical body, with bones, muscles, and tissue, but we also have a mind; something that actually makes the inanimate cells of our body form a warm, living human being. What's the connection? or is there one? From these basic questions springs the issue that philosophers like to call the "Mind-Body Problem."

What's more disturbing to me is the effect this short piece of fiction could have on someone who doesn't have the comfort of knowing exactly where that connection came from. Ah, the power of words.

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"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels." Proverbs 1:5
"How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" Psalm 119:103
I can't wait to hear what you have to say to me, whether it be words of wisdom or some sweet honey of encouragement. But if it isn't either of those, please be respectful and keep your thoughts to yourself.