non-algorithmic mathematical materialism

Interesting that you quote Penrose seemingly in support of your anti-"materialist/atheist" view, because he is actually a consistent materialist and believes that nature is essentially mathematical, not essentially spiritual.

The distinction with Penrose in his popular books is a collection of different arguments that are supposed to show non-algorithmic aspects of nature and how quantum indeterminacy gets amplified to effects in the macroscopic world. It was for a time a common view among popular authors, although it has subsided somewhat in recent years.

Particle physics surely renders the "deep nature" of matter to be mysterious compared to macroscopic nature, Penrose points that out in his popular writings and makes much of its implications for the visible world, but quantum weirdness itself is something pretty much universally appreciated.

His theory of consciousness is also materialistic for example, it is based largely on quantum effects on microtubules in the brain, a presumed material effect.

The argument people often seem to get out of Penrose for some reason, that nature is not algorithmic, is actually a fairly minor and obscure point since he does say that nature is mathematical. Seemingly people latch on to it because it makes Penrose's materialism seem a little more "spiritual," and we need that, but I think that's an act of great desperation to equate non-algorithmic mathematical materialism with spirituality !

I guess we all read into things what we want to see there.

Todd

Replies:

Re:Science & atheism, by Fred H., 06/22/04

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