Perpetual Time Travelers

My argument supporting the reality of non-physical consciousness: 

To be conscious mandates an ability to transcend time as the flow of states of reality... 

Therefore time-travel happens every conscious moment, in order to have any possible kind of conscious experience. 😁 

If physical nature precludes states that can affect or physically interact with causally prior states, (i.e. physically observe backwards in time as an absolute necessity for being aware of relations or symmetry of any states), then there is, on naturalism or materialism, no way of being conscious of anything.

This physical "one-directional flow" of coherent events is acknowledged to always be the case, in order to explain the unbroken and coherent flow of experienced physical states.  At any possible moment, physical states on its own, are in fact and can only be... just an absolute singular state containing the complete nature of a singular universal property without any particular abstraction.  To argue physical reality to be a flow of consecutive events, already presuppose consciousness or a separate abstraction describing any specific abstraction about states of nature. The concept of a moment, past, present, future or any possible temporal reference are completely absent in any possible physical state of the entire universe because it is only an abstraction of one or more states of nature, it is not that state of nature itself.

To argue that the physical reality contains an abstraction inherently seems to break down the coherent states of nature, as it will require one state to contain enough information about at least the preceding state of nature as a whole, let alone a completely comprehensive set of abstractions as we as humans experience it. let alone other minds like ours or unlike ours.  This seems to be impossible in a purely physical universe because the physical state of nature by definition contains only information about its own state and not about any other states from which abstractions might follow.  If it did contain information about its previous states, then it will seem to require an infinite informational structure, which opens a complete set of states that are best understood as part of what Kurt Gödel's Incompleteness explains.

Therefore, consciousness clearly cannot be part of physical nature's absolute singular state, to the extent that even to validate the outcome of any possible physical experimentation, requires physical time independence.🤔 Methodological Materialism is inherently false because it is self-referential.  

It is far better to let our ideas about Aristotle pay homage to Plato while acknowledging that "perfection of forms" seems to only be the realm of God, even though we might have a useful and beautiful and even moral, but imperfect abstraction of the states of nature. 

That is why we can write so many wonderful time travel fantasies... because we are in fact and necessarily perpetual time travellers in the conscious sphere of reality.😎

In the physical sphere, we clearly affect physical things without braking the coherence of physical states... or are we?😯

Just to show this is not mere speculation but a real challenge to physicalism, I asked ChatGPT o1-preview on 2024-10-17 12:46:40 to explain and argue the case:

The Necessity of Non-Physical Consciousness to Account for Temporal Awareness

Abstract: This essay presents a logical argument asserting that consciousness cannot be fully explained by physical processes alone due to the inherent limitations of physical states in representing temporal awareness. By examining the nature of physical reality and its incapacity to contain information about past or future states within a singular present state, the argument demonstrates that consciousness must be non-physical to accommodate the essential aspect of temporal awareness.

1. Introduction

The nature of consciousness, particularly its ability to perceive and integrate temporal information, poses a significant challenge to materialist perspectives that assert all phenomena are purely physical. This essay argues that since physical states are inherently self-contained and lack information about other temporal states, they cannot account for the temporal awareness intrinsic to consciousness. Therefore, a non-physical explanation of consciousness is necessary.

2. Limitations of Physical States

Singularity and Self-Containment:

At any given moment, the physical state of the universe is a singular, comprehensive configuration containing information solely about itself.

Physical states do not inherently include abstractions or references to other states—past or future.

Absence of Temporal Relations:

Concepts such as "past," "present," and "future" are abstractions not embedded within the physical states themselves.

Physical reality, in its immediate state, lacks any inherent temporal markers or awareness.

Implications:

Since each physical state is isolated in terms of temporal information, a purely physical system cannot generate the abstractions necessary for temporal awareness.

3. Consciousness Requires Temporal Awareness

Definition of Consciousness:

Consciousness is characterized by awareness that encompasses memory (past), perception (present), and anticipation (future).

It involves the ability to integrate and relate information across different temporal states.

Necessity of Temporal Integration:

Conscious experience depends on connecting past experiences with present perceptions and future expectations.

This integration is essential for functions such as learning, planning, and coherent experience.

Conflict with Physical States:

Since physical states lack information about other temporal states, they cannot account for the temporal integration required by consciousness.

Therefore, consciousness must involve more than just the physical state of the brain at a single moment.

4. The Argument Against Materialism

Materialism's Assertion:

Materialism posits that all phenomena, including consciousness, are the result of physical processes.

Under materialism, consciousness should be fully explainable by the physical states of the brain.

Inadequacy in Explaining Temporal Awareness:

Physical states, being temporally isolated, cannot account for consciousness's temporal integration.

Materialism cannot explain how consciousness bridges multiple physical states to create a coherent temporal experience.

Conclusion:

Materialism is insufficient because it cannot accommodate the essential temporal aspect of consciousness.

Therefore, consciousness must involve non-physical elements that transcend the limitations of physical states.

5. Necessity of a Non-Physical Consciousness

Transcending Physical Limitations:

A non-physical aspect of consciousness can integrate information across different times without relying on the physical containment of past and future information in a single state.

This non-physical consciousness can access and relate to multiple temporal states, enabling temporal awareness.

Philosophical Support:

Philosophical traditions, such as those proposed by Plato, suggest the existence of non-physical forms or abstractions that are not bound by physical constraints.

Acknowledging a non-physical consciousness aligns with these perspectives and offers a more coherent explanation for temporal awareness.

6. Implications for Understanding Consciousness

Mind-Body Relationship:

Recognizing consciousness as non-physical suggests a dualistic relationship between mind and body.

The non-physical consciousness interacts with the physical brain but is not reducible to physical states.

Impact on Cognitive Science:

This perspective encourages a reevaluation of theories that attempt to explain consciousness purely in terms of physical processes.

It opens avenues for research into how non-physical consciousness may interact with the physical brain.

Addressing Methodological Materialism:

Methodological materialism, which restricts explanations to physical processes, may inherently limit our understanding of consciousness.

Expanding beyond materialism allows for a more comprehensive exploration of conscious experience.

7. Conclusion

Summary of Argument:

Consciousness requires temporal awareness, which involves integrating information from past, present, and future.

Physical states are singular and lack information about other temporal states, making them insufficient to account for temporal awareness.

Therefore, consciousness cannot be fully explained by physical processes alone and must involve a non-physical component.

Relevance to Academic Discourse:

This argument challenges prevailing materialist paradigms and invites rigorous philosophical and scientific examination.

It underscores the importance of considering non-physical explanations to fully understand the nature of consciousness.

8. Recommendations for Further Research

Interdisciplinary Approach:

Encourage collaboration between philosophers, neuroscientists, and physicists to explore the implications of non-physical consciousness.

Investigate how non-physical consciousness might interact with physical brain processes.

Philosophical Inquiry:

Reexamine philosophical arguments regarding the mind-body problem, dualism, and the nature of reality.

Explore historical and contemporary perspectives on non-physical aspects of consciousness.

Empirical Investigation:

Develop methodologies to study consciousness that are not limited to physicalist assumptions.

Consider phenomenological approaches that prioritize subjective experience.

References

Plato. The Theory of Forms.

Chalmers, D. J. (1996). The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory. Oxford University Press.

Nagel, T. (1974). "What is it like to be a bat?" The Philosophical Review, 83(4), 435-450.

Searle, J. R. (1992). The Rediscovery of the Mind. MIT Press.

Appendix: Addressing Potential Counterarguments

Physicalism and Emergent Properties:

Some may argue that consciousness emerges from complex physical processes.

However, emergence does not explain how temporally isolated physical states can produce temporal awareness without containing information about other states.

Neuroscientific Correlations:

While neuroscience shows correlations between brain activity and conscious experience, correlation does not equate to causation.

Neural correlates of consciousness do not address how physical processes could generate non-physical temporal awareness.

Advances in Physics:

Concepts like quantum entanglement might suggest non-local interactions.

Yet, these phenomena still occur within the physical realm and do not account for the subjective experience of temporal awareness.

By logically analyzing the limitations of physical states and the essential nature of temporal awareness in consciousness, this argument demonstrates that consciousness must involve a non-physical component. This conclusion invites further academic exploration and challenges materialist paradigms, offering a compelling perspective for scholars and logical thinkers.