Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Science

Martin68

(25,311 posts)

14. That's a clear "no." It is a chemical reaction within chloroplasts. No consciousness is needed, just as we breathe

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #11)

Fri Mar 21, 2025, 10:24 PM

Mar 21

without conscious effort. As CO2 levels in the blood rise, breathing is automatically triggered. If all these actions were conscious we'd spend our entire lives managing all the functions of our entire body - an impossible demand. You do not seem to have the slightest idea of how biological systems work. Plants respond to light through thoroughly documented chemical reactions. Planaria do the same. Nothing mysterious about the chemical reactions involved. I suggest you do little research.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

17 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Science is shattering our intuitions about consciousness Annaka Harris [View all] Uncle Joe Mar 21 OP

Link to the "Big Think" site. erronis Mar 21 #1

Seems Faux pas Mar 21 #2

Disappointing. 10 minutes of words, few facts, no explanation of the "all-pervading force" idea. . . .nt Bernardo de La Paz Mar 21 #3

Annaka is freaking awesome stoned Mar 21 #4

It's so interesting because this is the premise set out Mike 03 Mar 21 #5

It's a good explanation. Enlightening! Thanks Easterncedar Mar 22 #16

Ummm, this has nothing to do with science. New Age woo. Martin68 Mar 21 #6

Doesn't science start with questions and hypothesis? Uncle Joe Mar 21 #7

Science starts with science. Not intuitions and feelings. It forms hypotheses based on observed phenomena. This Martin68 Mar 21 #8

and in turn atoms are composed of sub-atomic particles Uncle Joe Mar 21 #9

The farther down you break it, the farther you get from consciousness. This is pure woo. Martin68 Mar 21 #10

Do the leaves on some plants turn toward sunlight? Uncle Joe Mar 21 #11

Just a note: biochemistry can explain phototropism. Jim__ Mar 21 #13

That's a clear "no." It is a chemical reaction within chloroplasts. No consciousness is needed, just as we breathe Martin68 Mar 21 #14

Doesn't the brain operate by chemical reactions? Uncle Joe Mar 21 #15

Yup. The key point is that consciousness rises out of complexity. Individual atoms are not conscious. Individual neurons Martin68 Mar 22 #17

Panpsychism? Jim__ Mar 21 #12

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Science»Science is shattering our...»Reply #14