[Wittrs] Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics
- From: Joseph Polanik <jpolanik@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: wittrsamr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:49:24 -0500
Defining 'Physical'
SWM wrote:
>Joseph Polanik wrote:
>>SWM wrote:
>>>Assuming we can get past the question of whether we are each talking
>>>about the same thing by our respective uses of the term "physical" (I
>>>don't mean "a physical object" but anything that is a feature of the
>>>physical universe and I presume you mean the same),
>>by 'physical object' I mean a reality of type 1.
>Okay
>>I don't know what you mean by a feature of the physical universe that
>>is not a physical object;
>Hmmm, here I see some fuzziness creeping in. Perhaps it is just an
>artifact of our different uses though.
>By "physical object" I mean any object of reference that has tangible
>physical features in some finite sense, e.g., a rubber ball, a rock, a
>tree, a particular mammal, a planet, a star, etc. I do not mean certain
>aspects of the physical universe which are part of that universe but
>not identifiable as particular objects in space/time, such as
>hurricanes, electromagnetism, gravity, light waves, microwave
>radiation, the motion and trajectories of billiard balls, etc., as well
>as the various properties we associate with physical objects (as
>described above) such as colors, textures, extension, mass, density,
>etc. All of these latter are perfectly physical, too, and can even be
>thought of as "objects" when we are referring to them, that is they can
>be singled out as objects of our reference. But they are not particular
>objects in space/time (even though such objects ARE objects of our
>reference too).
>Thus, when I speak of being physical I don't only mean what I've called
>physical objects above. Until told otherwise by you, I will assume we
>share the same understanding of the usages in question here.
similarities and differences between us:
1. I agree that a rubber ball, a rock, a tree, a particular mammal, a
planet, a star, etc. are all objects.
2. hurricanes - I'd classify these as events; but, they could be
considered objects as well.
3. electromagnetism, light waves, microwaves - the photons that make up
electromagnetic radiation behave like particles when observed;
consequently, I'd consider them as objects --- quantum objects rather
than classical objects to be sure, but objects nevertheless.
4. extension, mass and density - these are properties of physical
objects; so, by linguistic convention, one may call these physical
properties.
5. colors (and other qualia) - these are quales of experience rather
than properties of objects; and, as such, are canonical examples of
phenomenological realities. I would not consider these physical.
Joe
--
Nothing Unreal is Self-Aware
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http://what-am-i.net
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