Examples Of Arguments Against Physicalism

2. Arguments against physicalism
In line with physicalism, a human being, including, of course, the brain, consists of merely physical substances. Not only the brain is described by physical characteristics, such as volume, weight and composition, but also the events that occur in the brain are physical, according to physicalists. For instance, in the nerve system the impulses are transmitted along connected neurons as a result of the electrical difference across their membranes. Physicalists further hold that thoughts and emotions are no more than physical events that take place in the central nerve system; accordingly, neurophysiologists can describe these events solely in a physical manner.
Though a variety of brain characteristics and
Crick, a firm believer in physicalism, upon finishing the work related to molecular biology, turned his attention to seek solutions for the more challenging problem of dissolving the remaining scientific mystery, the biological nature of consciousness (Kandel 181). He believed that the unity of consciousness would be directly associated with a specific set of neurons with specific molecular or neuroanatomical signatures. Accordingly, Crick located this set of neurons to claustrum, which was a thin sheet of neurons attached to the underside of the neocortex in the center of the brain (“Claustrum”) and indicated to be able to bind together and coordinate various regions of the brain indispensable for the maintenance of conscious awareness (Kandel page number). However, his efforts did not bring a conclusive ending to the debate. In the author’s opinion, the future of physicalism largely relies on the progress in neuroscience; however the debate will remain with no foreseeable