Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy

Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy

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Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Anything But That

Anything But That

Do we derive from a Frankenstein chemical soup?

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Martin Butler
Jan 07, 2025
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Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Anything But That
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white snow on gray rocky ground
Photo by Gala Iv on Unsplash

It appears that I may be the product of blind evolution. From a Frankenstein chemical soup to amoeba, mud skipper, squirrel, ape, to me. A fortunate or unfortunate combination of chemicals and events. My sense of being a person is nothing more than a trick of my complex chemical constitution, and consciousness is an emergent property that facilitates successful world navigation; otherwise, it would not be needed. I am a conscious grub with a wholly illusory sense of self. Such would be the “scientific” account of things. Is it correct? As far as it goes, it is correct, and at least it does not enter the domain of spiritual and religious happy-ever-after stories.

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