Could Intelligence and consciousness exist without Life?

Answer 1

Answer, well it does already! That is if you consider the definition of life, not as it is now, but as it would be without the massive complexities of our makeup. Take any living creature and take away its genetic ability until its conscious ability is that of the most powerful computer on earth, and you would regard it as brain-dead. So the only way one could recreate the simulation of life, is to reproduce life its-self. That we all know as genetic engineering, but what of genetics anyway. Its only a function of a multiple of data occupying a small space, and if we, as infact work is on-going, do manage to build an organic machine, it would not be the fact it is living, but more that it has the potential to argue and thus reproduce every characteristic of the living. When that happens, one has to understand the insignificance of life as we persevere it. No micro electronics can compete, byway of its fundamental coding; it’s that what separates us from it. However, that is all about to change, when it does, ask the same question again, until then I can only offer you the opportunity to consider that of the full circle we are embarking on and that of the massive and problematic morel and ethical issues that will arrive.

Answer 2

We need to do the following:
1. Define intelligence
2. Define consciousness
3. Define life
It's assumed that you mean whether some individual existence and physical host system is required for intelligence and consciousness. For ego-self consciousness and the intelligence associated with it, the answer is no. For those who have had enlightenment experiences, they experience themselves and the universe in a non-dualistic way where they literally identify as the Something that is without form, consciousness, etc. It's an experience that is registered in our consciousness but is NOT it -- it's a level where Intelligence and Consciousness (different from intelligence and consciousness at the ego/brain-constrained level) are seen as the only Reality. In this case, all of the separation of individual things and psyches is seen as illusory and 'life' as we see it is illusory. Life (with a capital L) is experienced directly and it's the realization that one is the same as That Which Has Always Been.
This is just a set of concepts, though, until a person experiences it. Philosophy and concepts should be used as means and not ends.

Answer 3

Rene Descartes said: 'I think - therefore I am.' A laudable statement at the time, meaning: 'If I am thinking, I must exist.'

Unfortunately, that's not quite the end of it, since the invention of computers. The theory goes that computer science and technology is advancing at an incredible pace. If a civilization could develop this kind of technology for thousands of years, just think what they could do! They could program an entirely flawless virtual world, where no one could tell the difference between that world and the real thing. Question is, has it already happened - and are we part of it? The geeks who get to sit about all day and work it out with maths and logic, say it's highly improbable that this hasn't happened.

That's bad for science because it means we have no perception of real truth. And also you and I are just sophisticated programs battling it out. Rene Descartes would have been better off saying :'Something I call me thinks - therefore it is or was, at some point in time.'

So let me put it this way, 'Are you really sure you're intelligent, conscious and alive?' And since we have no perception of reality do we ever really know that anything ever was, except the thing that made the programs in the first place?

But then that could have been an invention of something else, couldn't it? Hmmm you got me.

Answer 4

On the other hand I say " YES " and that is because I believe in the soul the spirit , the soul that we have will continue to exist and will reincarnate into another body that is just to be born-ed . Life belongs to the living with intelligence that the brain contains , but we all have a intelligent consciousness and you can see it with a will discipline , devoid-ed of mind influence , when the body dies so thus the brain , but not the spirit , the consciousness still lives .

Answer 5

The one thing I dont understand about most of the answers in the room is..If y ou dont have life, you cant have consciousness...Well, that totally depends on the true definition of life..
There are alot of the people in the world that i wouldnt give the credit of being alive...Sure, they function, and the socialize. But, are they truley aware? Every organism can function in this world, but it doesnt mean that the are truely living.Consciousness comes from awareness, it doesnt really have to do with anything that involves life....Life is a totally different realm of being..
Life is a form of intelligence, consciousness is a form of awareness and personal consequence...By, personal consequence, I mean, How will my action affect me and the beings around in my lifes needs..Will, their pain cause me any emotional or social hardship...
They are working on computers that are capable with artificial inttelegence...As, there intelligence level goes up and they are able to process the necessary stimuli's, there awareness will go up with no doubt...It wouldnt be possible for it not too...There are several dooms day scenario's floating out there about the computers taking over the world...It is possible, Well sure it is...Why wouldnt it be?.Couldnt it be a form of evolution?
Hopefully mankind is smart enough not to let it happen it was going in that direction...But, I will say that it doesnt take flesh and bone to be alive...And it doesnt take a biological brain to reason and deduct. So, it would stand to reason, that it is possible....
The fatal flaw of mankind is, that we think we are indestructable...We control our surroundings..Sure, we do have some nice technology, some good and some bad...But, the natural world could take it all out in one big swipe..Then we are back to the dark ages..

Answer 6

By "Life" I assume you mean - the definition:
Blah, Blah...
(Life is a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally. A diverse array of living organisms can be found in the biosphere on Earth. Properties common to these organisms – plants, animals, fungi, protists, archaea and bacteria – are a carbon and water-based cellular form with complex organization and genetic information. They undergo metabolism, possess a capacity to grow, respond to stimuli, reproduce and, through natural selection, adapt to their environment in successive generations.)

MY ANSWER

An entity with the above properties is considered to be a living

So - "life" could be Fungus - which I'm not so sure has intelligence or consciousness in the way we do.

But if your asking if we can have a consciousness without a body - I would say Yes

This is based on my personal experience 21 years ago with the death of my "body" for a period of time(yes this is backed up by medical records)

I did experience "consciousness" during that time frame

I think it is possible to have intelligence/consciousness without an organic body. I think the "life force" is carried beyond the organic


Yet sometimes I think there are those who have "life" and neither consciousness nor intelligence...:)

Answer 7

intelligence is human survival. We tend to compete and rank ourself and others for a higher more abundant means of life or at least a more superficial and material one.

In the after life, where physical life does not exist their is no need for that type of intelligence, but spirits still learn and expand their knowledge bring subconscious matters to consciousness.

My reasoning is because of our universe, guides, angels, guardians, and any other supernatural healers as well as the earth bound souls and imbalances ones. They make conscious and intelligent choices to help, guide or even to steer us in the wrong direction in our lives. they make the decision to be born into this world again also.

Our intelligence and consciousness r different from those of the non existing beings, but all n all intelligence and conscious awareness exist in both worlds.

Answer 8

If you believe that God exists, then the obvious answer is yes, because God could be conscious without the existence of "creatures".

If you believe that the mind/soul is independent of the body, then the answer is also yes, because a mind that was not reliant on a physical body to exist or function would have no reason to not exist because there was no body.

Our experience of intelligence and consciousness is strictly bound to the physical world, so I would say that it certainly may be possible, but it may also be impossible. If it is possible, the type of consciousness that this would be is quite incomprehensible to humans, because we can hardly imagine what it would be like to function as thinking entities without the privelege of our bodies. If there were such consiousness, it certainly wouldn't be of a kind that we can understand.

Answer 9

No, intelligence takes a form of life. It is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge. conciousness, likewise, requires some form of life, as it is a state, it takes awareness of oneself.
However, life can and does exist without either intelligence or consciousness. Animal;s exhibit intelligence, but no one knows for sure if they experience consciousness.
Only human life, so far in our experience, exists with both.

Answer 10

I think human consciousness requires a live brain. Perhaps the brain is a complex sensory data gatherer, in a form that has evolved the capacity for abstract thought. A stunned brain seems to lose all consciousness entering a coma, which suggests a dead brain loses even more and forever. Unless you believe that the ultimate fate of a brain restores every capacity in an after life, and for which there is absolutely no evidence, then a dead brain means the total non-existence of consciousness.