I'm not a guy of much culture about biology, sciences in general. But I do know scientists are smart guys who discovered a lot of things we didn't knew and proved themselves right trought experiments and the inventions we use. The majority of them, I believe, think that the world is only matter and we're biological machines. I see nothing wrong with materialism, after all, from what I know the scientists proved all came from hydrogen and whatever, altought they tought the atom couldn't be divised anymore, they discovered themselves wrong. Maybe there are even more invisible stuff. But to what extent are we only machines?
After analyzing the question of matter and ourselves and our conscious selves, I can't help but ask this: What is consciousness? How can matter be organized in a way that not only do we perceive the external world but also feel it (different from a robot, or does anyone believes that a robot made to act like a human really is "feeling" something?)? How to explain things like the taste of food, and I do not mean the experience of a living being eating something, the brain judging it as good so it goes on eating, and if it was judged as bad to stop eating, but to feel the flavor. Or even more sutil things like the feeling of listening to great music, or love for humanity, etc. I don't think we could ever make robots who would have inside them the same stuff going on that we have, only respond in a similar manner to us to the external world.
I'm not even close to resting on the side of either science or religion. The science stuff I accept is mostly because a lot of people do and the scientists say so. But I'm inclined towards believing in science for the most, and many scientists believe we are like machines. But what IS pain? Yes, I'm sure they have an explanation for how pain happens, but what is it? What is feeling? Yes I know, electrical impulses in the brain or whatever. Now imagine your brain with all the electrical stuff making the neurons and other stuff work to present you with your view of reality, that seems reasonable right? But what is this view of reality? Or better yet, what is us? After all, even if reducing it to mere activity of the brain, we need and observer, right? Or not? The observer is the greatest mystery. Many materialists understand how the brain works, but how do the observer works? Many understand that we get a lot of pleasure after physical exercise (Btw people, don't forget to exercise, stay healthy) due to endorphins. But what IS the sensation caused by the endorphins? Can you describe it in purely materialistic terms?
On the other hand things like physical alterations on the brain changing human behavior drastically, with each area altered or damaged reacting on it's function makes me confused and not wanting to believe in spirits and "God".
Either all things have consciousness on some level, thus our selves being just a more advanced form of organized matter (wich has conscience in all atoms, since all things have consciousness) or consciousness is a miracle, altought a miracle that can be damaged by altering the brain.
Please explain your view, especially if you're Theist or agree that we are biological machines and nothing more. Agnostics will just agree with my doubt and uncertainty