Plant consciousness

[elbows]

I enjoyed this but I don't quite know what to say about it yet, especially since I am well rusty when it comes to philosophy in general, let alone this angle.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/06/2012619133418135390.html

 

[wayward bob]

so that makes plants animals, right?

 

[Yetman]

I have actually been a plant and yes, they have a consciousness if my experienced is to be believed, but its not the same as ours. Totally different in fact. So different that if I was to try and explain it, you wouldnt understand as you have no frame of reference so I'm not going to try

 

[King Biscuit Time]

 

[fractionMan]

This includes a story about a man who could hear the grass scream:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Someone_Like_You_(collection)

Great book.

 

[elbows]

This includes a story about a man who could hear the grass scream:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Someone_Like_You_(collection)

Great book.

Aha thats interesting, because I was first introduced to the subject by something I saw on the telly when I was a kid. I wasn't sure if it was an episode of the Twilight Zone or Tales of the Unexpected, but your tipoff suggests it was the latter.

Seems to have been turned into a short film a few years ago, haven't watched it yet.

 

[xes]

Everything has a form of consciousness. Even dirt, it is aware on some level, that it is what it is. Like yetman said, it's not like our consciousness at all. You can sort of experience it, but you'll need to meditate and stuff. And there's no way of telling if it's a real experience, or one you've made for yourself. Fun to try though

 

[fractionMan]

I'll watch that later

 

[fractionMan]

Everything has a form of consciousness. Even dirt, it is aware on some level, that it is what it is. Like yetman said, it's not like our consciousness at all. You can sort of experience it, but you'll need to meditate and stuff. And there's no way of telling if it's a real experience, or one you've made for yourself. Fun to try though

I do not believe that dirt is self-aware.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I do not believe that dirt is self-aware.

Consciousness does not necessarily equal self-awareness.

 

[gentlegreen]

And there's no way of telling if it's a real experience, or one you've made for yourself.

 

[xes]

peace, dude

*refrains from posting the videos of that strange little girl who "channels" the consciousness of random mundane objects*

 

[gentlegreen]

I wonder what the stats are for religionists who lost their religion after taking LSD, versus rationalists who started believing in religion ...

 

[fractionMan]

Even dirt, it is aware on some level, that it is what it is.

Consciousness does not necessarily equal self-awareness.

Really. Tell me more. In what way is dirt concious?

 

[gentlegreen]

13:26 in ...

 

[Jeff Robinson]

I do not believe that dirt is self-aware.

I believe George Osborne knows who he is.

 

[xes]

Really. Tell me more. In what way is dirt concious?

Not sure, I think it kind of works on the basis that matter is energy, and everything is consciousness. Or something, I dunno, I'm knackered

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Having read xes's post a little more carefully, I would like to respectfully decline to defend it.

My only point was that it's possible to be aware without being aware that you are aware.

 

[Wilf]

((((frozen peas))))

 

[gentlegreen]

Just imagine my guilt for stepping on one of my house snails last night and riding squarely over a slug on the way in this morning.

 

[weltweit]

Plants car turn their faces to face the sun, know when to flower, know how to capture animals (carniverous plants) and have evolved to attract many and various polinators, they often exist in complex parasitic relationships with other plants and animals, plus they are intertwined in various ways to distribute their seeds, but to say they are concious is I think a step too far.

 

[Greebo]

Just imagine my guilt for stepping on one of my house snails last night and riding squarely over a slug on the way in this morning.

If it hadn't been you, it would've been poison, or a bird, or a toad, or a hedgehog, or a gardener with a bucket of salt and a pair of scissors. It's not as if you did it deliberately.

 

[two sheds]

 

[elbows]

This includes a story about a man who could hear the grass scream:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Someone_Like_You_(collection)

Great book.

Thanks again. I found the Tales Of the Unexpected version.

 

[smmudge]

Plants car turn their faces to face the sun, know when to flower, know how to capture animals (carniverous plants) and have evolved to attract many and various polinators, they often exist in complex parasitic relationships with other plants and animals, plus they are intertwined in various ways to distribute their seeds, but to say they are concious is I think a step too far.

Something has to have consciousness (at least) to be able to "know".

 

[weltweit]

You have to have consciousness (at least) to be able to "know".

The weeds in my garden open up when the sun comes and turn to face it. But that is probably just as a result of evolution - that if they open and turn they get more sun. It does not have to imply consciousness of any kind.

 

[smmudge]

The weeds in my garden open up when the sun comes and turn to face it. But that is probably just as a result of evolution - that if they open and turn they get more sun. It does not have to imply consciousness of any kind.

Knowledge requires belief. Belief requires the ability to think. Thinking requires consciousness. Ergo, knowledge requires consciousness. If plants are not conscious, they are therefore unable to "know".

 

[weltweit]

Knowledge requires belief. Belief requires the ability to think. Thinking requires consciousness. Ergo, knowledge requires consciousness. If plants are not conscious, they are therefore unable to "know".

Why are you equating what a plant does with knowledge?

 

[smmudge]

Why are you equating what a plant does with knowledge?

That's exactly what I'm arguing against.

Plants car turn their faces to face the sun, know when to flower, know how to capture animals (carniverous plants)

 

[gentlegreen]

If it hadn't been you, it would've been poison, or a bird, or a toad, or a hedgehog, or a gardener with a bucket of salt and a pair of scissors. It's not as if you did it deliberately.

In the case of the slug , I did think that at least I was helping to improve their gene pool - there are an awful lot of slugs that pointlessly cross the path and get stranded ...