The Mind

 The more I read and hear about the various consciousness theories, the more I revert to an older and more simplistic theory: the brain produces consciousness. Without a brain consciousness (mind) doesn't exist. I know I have a mind, I am aware that I am aware of myself and all else that I have experienced as well as I imagine what I haven't personally experienced. But only because the various parts of my brain are working together to produce that awareness and ability to ponder it. 

Assisted Reproductive Technologies

 As a liberal conservative I believe that reproduction is essential to continuance of our species so in that regard I do have a horse in the abortion/assisted reproductive technologies race. I believe abortion to be a form of murder with the possibility of extenuating circumstances that should be considered. I do not know when life begins. It is generally accepted within the scientific community that life begins at fertilization (conception). As for assisted reproductive technologies, I am all for them and do not believe frozen eggs and embryos to be live humans. The only issues that need to be sorted out have to do with parental rights and each locality has to deal with that accordingly.

Controls

 Kind of a thought experiment: Assuming that free will is a thing, I think that the absence of sufficient social controls, preventive and consequential, is responsible for the majority of crimes. Social order requires informal and formal controls provided at the familial, social group, cultural, and governmental levels. It may be politically incorrect but I also believe a certain degree of agreeable conformity is ideally necessary. And yes, I believe it to be so in manners, dress, and language. If adequate conformity controls are not taught and enforced at the family level, it is unlikely that the young will willingly abide by rules, regulations, and laws at other levels. The problem is, what level of control is optimal? Is it oppressive for a parent to prohibit a teenage daughter from coloring her hair in various streaks? Is it, on the other hand, the promotion of chaos, disorder, and crime not to incarcerate teenage boys convicted of serious crimes? Societies have been grappling with this issue ever since social grouping began.