What do you think about this ridiculous christian claim?

Question

I followed a link to an article 'Refuting' evolution. I read this:
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Whether subjected to mutation or not, the brain is not the producer of thought. Large or small, more or less convoluted, the brain consists of neurons, and ultimately of unconscious atoms. The idea that a structure comprised of unconscious atoms could possible be the source of an ability connected to abstract thought is, in a word, nonsensical.

The best-known paintings in the world, the most marvelous works of architecture, the most advanced technological devices … All these are the result of the inspiration of their producers. Can an artist inspired by the landscape at which he looks, or an engineer developing a project for a device which nobody else has ever thought of really be indebted to the unconscious atoms in their brains?
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Why do christians HAVE to make fools of themselves by saying things like this? The brain doesn't produce thought? Oh great. Just great. It's just an appendage right?

Here's the link: http://www.bbcrefuted.com/

Answer 1

You must be kinder to these people. It's quite possible that in their case the brain is NOT producing very many thoughts of any consequence. Thus they extrapolate. It's simply a misuse of inference.

Answer 2

Many of the previous answers were great. But I'd like to address the actual article you've cited.

Every action causes a reaction. Single celled organisms can react to light without the assistance of a "brain." Their programming can be seen as: If there is light, cause body to move toward it. An eye works the same way. It receives the signal from light, this signal is interpreted by the brain by simple chemical and electrical reactions. The brain works by reaction just as everything else in the universe does.
By the writer's definition, no, the brain does not "produce" thought. In reality, thought is just our way of defining the reactions of neurons and molecules in our heads. His definition of "thought" becomes meaningless. "Conscious" is just used to describe our ability to interpret what reality is to us. We are all based on "unconscious" atoms, like most everything else in the universe.
Some may not like to believe this, because it makes us seem less special -- like finding out the Sun doesn't revolve around us:)

Answer 3

There is a strong religious objection to the idea, or theory if one pleases, of evolution. There is no more proof of the creationist theories than there is for evolution. It is rather silly, I would say to claim that the brain is made up of "unconscious atoms". This ame brain regulates the beating of the heart, breathing and all other life functions. Some people are adamant in their objections to evolution. It is probably best to just not discuss it with them.

Answer 4

This wasn't whatever any individual informed me, however whatever I noticed on a Christian channel on television. There was once a man, it appears, a PhD (come what may) who had a rock. On this rock was once a carving of a brontosaur and a pterodactyl. Now this rock regarded love it was once picked up at Wall Drug on a travel via South Dakota. But this man was once claiming it was once truly, performed by way of an historic artist. Not most effective was once it truly, it was once evidence that guy existed with dinosaurs. Some courageous younger guy, he hypothesized, ought to have lassoed the brontosaur to get a more in-depth seem on the pterodactyl and carved his journey right into a rock. This of direction, is all tough proof that God exists and the the Bible is right. Somewhere within the nook, I concept I noticed good judgment guffawing its rational a$$ off.

Answer 5

Actually, this is one of the least ridiculous Christian claims. It's not even a "Christian" claim: it's simply an observation (in the first paragraph) that a reductionistic materialist understanding of the mind-body relation is incoherent and incapable of even accounting intelligibly for the very existence of consciousness.

If you actually get into the literature on the mind-body problem, you'll discover quickly that it's a great deal more thorny than you think. The reductionistic account is deeply problematic -- at least as problematic as the dualist account, if not more so.

I recommend David Ray Griffin's book "Unsnarling the World Knot: Consciousness, Freedom, and the Mind-Body Problem." It's an exhaustive examination of the literature and an incisive presentation of his own naturalistic (but not materialistic) solution to the problem, based on Whitehead's metaphysics.

Answer 6

I think every Non-thinking or not very bright christian would probably believe in something like this only because it would refute Evolution -You know some people just choose not to believe in the truth when it's staring right at them and hitting them in the face--because some book says to do so--gimme a break

Answer 7

Things like that just discredit creationism and do nothing to challenge evolution. My message to the religious fundamentalists is keep wasting your time and resources churning out crap like that and let anybody with a shred of common sense see how really misguided you really are. Evolution is a fact and it isn't going away-Christians should learn to deal with it.

Answer 8

When man can produce a device similar to a brain that has thought and consciousness then you can argue your point with that.

Answer 9

Take a look at the work that's being done in quantum mechanics (physics) and consciousness. It's looking more likely all the time that consciousness is not a local event (is not encompassed in the brain) but is pervasive; that we humans employ a conscious energy the root of which exists outside of ourselves.

And this is science, folks. :)

Answer 10

One author is brain dead, so he assumes we all are.

Other animals have brains. By this reasoning, God has to think for them as well.

Our muscles don't produce movement, we're all just puppets.

Not only does this contradict science and common sense. It contradicts the Bible.