Where is the self? How can dualism stand if it's just a fiction?

@JLNobody,

Quote:

Note that both philosophers were open to aspects of Buddhism (by way of N.s Orientalism of Peter Gast and S's reading of the Upanishads).

Yes. I am a little aware of this. It seems like there is a bit of a Rorschach test aspect to Buddhist teachings, as it served modern philosophers. They all seem to see what they expect to see in Buddhism. At least that is what I see in it (maybe that's what I want to see Wink

).

0 Replies

I certainly didn't mean for that to be offensive.
I am not sure why it was voted down?

1 Reply

@MattDavis,

I don't see that it was voted down (green thumb?). Also who could have been offended by anything you've said? You are one of our more civil participants.

1 Reply

@JLNobody,

It was down, now back up... I swear I'm not crazy...
Oh well thanks for the compliment JLN Very Happy

You have also been most gracious and informative, that was why I was most concerned that perhaps I had offended.

0 Replies

I just stumbled upon another interesting video, here:

2 Replies

@Fil Albuquerque,

Amazing. Thank you. Thank you.

1 Reply

@IRFRANK,

That guy, to say the least, is a serious contender to Michio Kaku pop style, he certainly has the nerve...nevertheless there is some good stuff there...so I don't know if you are just joking me but I really enjoyed the video although I disagree with some aspects of its conclusions...

2 Replies

@Fil Albuquerque,

Well, I was completely serious. Actually, I didn't get to the end, still have that to do, so I can't comment on conclusions. I think this understanding of how the brain works explains a great deal about human behavior.

I'll will watch again and get to the end. Look forward to the conclusions.

As a caveat, I 'experimented' with various drugs in my early years and after understanding their effect I can't believe I was that stupid. Intentionally damaging the very machine that is 'you' does not seem like a good idea.

2 Replies

@IRFRANK,

Lots of kids experiment with drugs, and many become victims that results in bad endings for them. Peer pressure gets kids into trouble that otherwise would be neutral. You seem to have survived it very well, and I congratulate you!

1 Reply

@cicerone imposter,

Thanks, but I think that I was just lucky. Or I figured out I should stop soon enough.

0 Replies

@IRFRANK,

I am sorry Frank...given the amount of sarcasm that goes around the forum that double thank you came off the wrong way...glad you loved the video !

1 Reply

@Fil Albuquerque,

No problem. Too many Little Ceasar's commercials. Sometimes my humor doesn't come across.

As I said, I haven't gotten to the end, so I can't wait. The thing I get from the part I did watch is what a sophisticated machine the brain is. Being a systems analyst myself, the system design concept of the brain in very interesting. And how it grows and learns is something very important to understand. My step daughter just had a baby, 6 months old, and watching the baby learn is enlightening. Could that be the driving effect of Karma? Our own decisions effect how our brain gets trained and will decide our thoughts in the future. The amount of 'decisions' that get made in the brain on a continual basis is astounding.

0 Replies

@Fil Albuquerque,

Fil Albuquerque wrote:

That guy, to say the least, is a serious contender to Michio Kaku pop style, he certainly has the nerve...nevertheless there is some good stuff there...so I don't know if you are just joking me but I really enjoyed the video although I disagree with some aspects of its conclusions...

Maybe at some point you could tell us what you disagreed with and why? If you can.. I hope you will ( I haven't watched at all but I will try to make time thanks to Frank... I'm curious).

1 Reply

@igm,

Well his stretching of the concept of Consciousness goes a step to far if you ask me...there's a confusion between integrate structural processes and the idea of a Universal consciousness...I am not sure the concept can have any meaningful comparison from that general level with our own level of usage...

2 Replies

@Fil Albuquerque,

Fil Albuquerque wrote:

Well his stretching of the concept of Consciousness goes a step to far if you ask me...there's a confusion between integrate structural processes and the idea of a Universal consciousness...I am not sure the concept can have any meaningful comparison from that general level with our own level of usage...

I'm almost an hour in to it. I'll take on board what you've said and look out for it. I have to go see someone now so... later.

Coincidentally, I changed my avatar yesterday to a fractal that gives the illusion of movement even though it's not Smile

I know that's not relevant but anyway fractals are an interesting phenomenon and so are his ideas.

1 Reply

@igm,

That sort of implies that human visuals can be deceiving. Mr. Green

0 Replies

@Fil Albuquerque,

I think I understand what you mean and would agree. There was a jump between the discussion on AI and consciousness. I can see the theory of a cosmic consciousness made up of fractal Russian dolls, but where does it necessarily stop? This theory is unifying, which is good and necessary as we approach a world village, but not necessarily 'the answer'. The knowledge of the mind and thoughts about how it grows and learns is revealing. Why is the universe not one large consciousness?

0 Replies

The self as an expression of dualism is complex. If we look at feelings of self hard enough we see only a feeling, not an entity. And if we look at the feeling hard enough we see a plurality (as Nietzsche has stressed). I recall a young serviceman telling me that when he talks to a prostitute he feels like a different person than when he talks to a nun. Then there's the self or ego referred to in some zen literature. That "self" is what is "in here", in opposition to what is "out there", outside of "me". I love every opportunity to repeat the Hindu dictum, Tat Tvam Asi (that art thou)--in other words, the unitarian principle that you are the world; you are the objects of your experiences rather than an internal subject to which they are happening.

4 Replies

@JLNobody,

So we are each God or a part of bigger God? Is all of our consciences connected or one?

1 Reply

@JLNobody,

You wrote,

Quote:

you are the objects of your experiences

. I can "live" with that! Mr. Green

0 Replies

Where is the self? How can dualism stand if it's just a fiction?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know