Carbon chauvinism
Carbon chauvinism ( English carbon chauvinism is) a polemical notion of astrobiology and philosophical consciousness debate. In astrobiology, positions are criticized as carbon- chauvinistic when they discuss the possibility of extraterrestrial life arising solely on a carbon basis. In the consciousness debate , the accusation of carbon chauvinism is directed against positions that identify states of consciousness and brain states and thus exclude the possibility of conscious systems without a biological brain. This debate is particularly discussed in relation to the possibility of conscious computers or robots .
Life
Since only carbon-based, organic biology exists as empirical value for life and its origin, this is used as a starting point for theories about the origin of life in general. As early as 1973, the astrophysicist Carl Sagan used the term "carbon chauvinism" to illustrate the limitations of human thinking about extraterrestrial life. In no way can it be ruled out that life on other planets developed in a completely different, inorganic form.
The most popular example of an alternative element as the basis for life is silicon , which has properties similar to carbon. However, compared to carbon, multiple bonds are more difficult to produce, and long-chain silicon compounds are significantly more rigid and inflexible than corresponding carbon compounds. In addition, there are more than 100 times as many silicon atoms as carbon atoms in the earth's shell and yet life on earth is based on carbon.
The extensive restriction of astrobiology to carbon is not linked to the assumption that the development of life on the basis of other elements is impossible. Rather, the reference to organic-chemical compounds is methodologically justified: Little data is available on the environmental conditions on planets beyond the solar system ; in any case, the existence or non-existence of life cannot be investigated directly. Astrobiology can therefore at best arrive at probability estimates by looking for planets whose environmental conditions are sufficiently similar to the earth for the development of organic life. In contrast, the conditions that are necessary for the development of inorganic life are completely unknown, which is why science cannot make any reliable statements on this. In this sense, the well-known, exobiological Drake equation relates only to organic life.
awareness
In the 1950s, materialist identity theory was developed in response to behaviorism . Behaviorists explain that a state of consciousness is nothing more than a certain pattern of behavior . An argument against such a position is that, for example, pain is felt in a certain way (cf. Qualia ) and therefore represents more than mere behavior. The philosophers Ullin Place and John Jamieson Carswell Smart therefore declared that one should identify states of consciousness with brain activity. “Having a headache” means nothing else than “being in a certain brain state”.
Among other things, the objection of carbon chauvinism is raised against the identity theory: If states of consciousness and brain states are generally identified with one another, then one rules out that systems without a biological brain can have consciousness. This would make the existence of conscious robots or conscious, inorganic life forms impossible in principle. The objection of carbon chauvinism, however, says that such systems cannot, at least in principle, be excluded. As a result of this objection was in the philosophy of mind of functionalism developed. Functionalists explain that one should identify states of consciousness with abstract, functional states defined by connections between input , output and transition states . Such functional states can be realized in very different physical systems, for example in a biological brain or a computer.
However, the objection of carbon chauvinism is not generally accepted, as Włodzisław Duch explains:
"The number of different chemical elements at our disposal is rather limited and no other element can interact in the same way as carbon atoms do. Therefore the functionalist critique of carbon chauvinism is not valid: carbon cannot be replaced by other elements without changing the system in a fundamental way. "
“However, the number of chemical elements available is quite limited and other atoms cannot interact the way carbon atoms can. Therefore, the functionalist criticism of carbon chauvinism does not hold water: carbon cannot be replaced by other elements without fundamentally changing the system. "
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Carl Sagan: The Cosmic Connection. Anchor Books, Doubleday, p. 47.
- ↑ cf. Jean Heidmann: Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1997, ISBN 0-521-58563-5 .
- ↑ Frank Drake, Dava Sobel: Is Anyone Out There? The Scientific Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Delacorte Press, New York 1992, ISBN 0-385-30532-X .
- ↑ Ullin Place : Is Consciousness a Brain Process? In: British Journal of Psychology. 1956.
- ^ John Jamieson Carswell Smart : Sensations and Brain Processes. In: Philosophical Review. 1956.
- ^ Hilary Putnam : Psychological Predicates. In: WH Captain (Ed.): Art, Mind and Religion. Pittsburgh 1967, pp. 37-48.
- ^ Włodzisław Duch: What constitutes a good theory of mind? In: American Neopragmatism. 1998.