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I find that one of the most puzzling things in the universe is consciousness or to put it another way, the realization of our own existence. I know that most religious people will probably look at their awareness of their inner self as their very soul. All sorts of confusing questions come to mind when we consider our own conscious mind. Why is my consciousness inside of this particular body and not another one? Did it exist before I was born or will it exist after I die? Animals appear to have a rudimentary state of consciousness but it doesn't appear that they're actually aware of their own existence in the same way that we are. Dogs are very intelligent and seem to have their own personalities but they certainly can't deal with abstract thoughts or have a concept of their own mortality. It's this feeling that we all share that there's this little pilot at the controls somewhere in our mind that's the very essence of what we are. Well, what exactly is it anyway? I know that many people don't like the thought of a human mind with all of it's complexities and mysteries to be reduced to chemicals and tiny electrical signals but despite the marvels of our own brains I do believe that our consciousness and self awareness is just the result of an incredibly complicated biological computer and those countless millions of chemical and electrical signals is in fact what creates our consciousness. Any other opinions?
Ok, here goes me and my simplistic attitude towards life.
Our bodies and even our brain are made up of matter, you know the mushy kind, eek..
But our souls are different, think of the wind, you can't see it, or taste it, but you know it is there. Our soul is not visible to a naked eye, nor is it tangable. Yet, we all know it is here because we are all aware of our souls ahem, conscience. It leads us down lifes pathway, directing us to this road or that road on a daily basis. Christians think of their conscience as their soul and that it is from God who breathed life into us, so I tend to say it is God's breath. Now, after we accept Jesus as savior, the HOly Spirit enters our soul, which again I tend to believe is God's breath, just this time because we welcomed and asked for it. This enables our souls to stay on a path of christianity and directs us to live our lives with that basis or from the foundation of being christian. In other words, everything must have a starter base from which to work from, our starter base is from God Himself.
Ok, I am going to stop here.
any more takers? anyone? come on, I know you can explain this so much better than I
Ok, here goes me and my simplistic attitude towards life.
Our bodies and even our brain are made up of matter, you know the mushy kind, eek..
But our souls are different, think of the wind, you can't see it, or taste it, but you know it is there. Our soul is not visible to a naked eye, nor is it tangable. Yet, we all know it is here because we are all aware of our souls ahem, conscience. It leads us down lifes pathway, directing us to this road or that road on a daily basis. Christians think of their conscience as their soul and that it is from God who breathed life into us, so I tend to say it is God's breath. Now, after we accept Jesus as savior, the HOly Spirit enters our soul, which again I tend to believe is God's breath, just this time because we welcomed and asked for it. This enables our souls to stay on a path of christianity and directs us to live our lives with that basis or from the foundation of being christian. In other words, everything must have a starter base from which to work from, our starter base is from God Himself.
Ok, I am going to stop here.
any more takers? anyone? come on, I know you can explain this so much better than I
a1angel, I don't think we can do much better than that! MG, I think you know that as Christians we are going to say that it is the soul or spirit that God put in us as humans. And that's exactly what I would say!
MG, I think you know that as Christians we are going to say that it is the soul or spirit that God put in us as humans.
That's true but when you think about it our brains can be damaged as the result of an accident which leaves us permanently UNconscious. This leads me to believe that the inner workings of our brains are clearly based on biological functions that are dependent on the very mundane interactions of chemical and electrical processes. Also, I don't think this diminishes our importance or our humanity, it just illustrates that human beings are biological and the functions that produce our self awareness are completely physical in nature.
I do believe that our consciousness and self awareness is just the result of an incredibly complicated biological computer and those countless millions of chemical and electrical signals is in fact what creates our consciousness.
MG, so where, do you suppose all of those complicated biological computers and millions of chemical and electrical signals were made from as well?
Where does one begin with this one? (But I'll try...)
I think the "topic" of the nature of consciousness runs the gammit from neuroscience to phenomenology. Yes, my dog is conscious because he has a working brain chemistry and at the moment is awake; he is conscious of me not paying attention to him... However:
Unlike man, my dog is not self reflective; he is not even aware of having a "self." While all manner of species may possess consciousness, man is the only one the KNOWS that he KNOWS. Which I guess brings up the question of what we "know" and how we "know it."
A newborn/infant is conscious, but is not yet developmentally aware of it's own existence. Consciousness, I feel, is fluid and evolves over time....As in the case of a newborn, the potential exists for his/her consciousness to develop or evolve to incredible states, (for example, "higher consciousness" or mystical experiences.)
In pondering your question, I can't help but think of the various consciousness "states" -- We are capable of being self-reflective. When we sleep, we often dream in our unconscious states. In meditative states a person is fully conscious, but often the mind "ceases to exist" or is suspended. Most humans have experienced dissociative states, (most commonly, "spacing out" while driving and missing one's exit on the highway, but all the while still "conscious" -- unless you are driving while asleep. ) As well, individual's who have had near death experiences speak about looking down at themselves. What type of consciousness is that and from what does it stem? Mystics throughout time have entered into states where they have become united with something far outside their physical bodies and this physical realm...
But I think consciousness also produces illusions; it plays tricks on us, on our minds. What we are conscious of at any given time is largely dependant upon our cultural upbringing. Eastern religious thought is big on the notion that consciousness is an illusion, or has a highly illusionary nature. (Anyone here who lived through and remembers the '60s knows where I'm going here...)
Can we, as human beings, possess a consciousness that is so evolved that we can know something so independent and outside of ourselves, as is described in mystical and religious phenomenon? Clearly, down through the ages there have been countless testimonies saying that is so...Perhaps one question is what is it that they are conscious of?
I can't answer this stuff, but this much I think I do know: That human kind, from the very beginning, has seemed to strive to be conscious of something outside of this human realm. I do not doubt nor question the experiences of those who say that they have done that. I don't think mind is a limited entity: call it spirit, call it soul, but SOMETHING in man's conscious mind seems to compel him to seek that which is outside himself....
Please forgive the length of this...I am just putting out a "stream of consciousness."
That's true but when you think about it our brains can be damaged as the result of an accident which leaves us permanently UNconscious. This leads me to believe that the inner workings of our brains are clearly based on biological functions that are dependent on the very mundane interactions of chemical and electrical processes. Also, I don't think this diminishes our importance or our humanity, it just illustrates that human beings are biological and the functions that produce our self awareness are completely physical in nature.
Maybe so, but our soul would not be affected. And who's to really say that those people are unable to feel as well? Just by looking at brain waves? Even humans in a vegatative state produce some brainwaves. It could still be possible that they can feel emotions but not be able to act on them. It is unknown because they can't communicate such things with us. When the brainwaves have flatlined, so has your heartbeat and at that point you're gone anyway....but the soul goes on.
MG, so where, do you suppose all of those complicated biological computers and millions of chemical and electrical signals were made from as well?
Hi LuLu, I knew this one was coming. It's my opinion that the human brain is the result of millions of years of evolution. Just as every living thing has adapted to it's environment and evolved certain traits that enable it to survive, human beings have done the same thing. We're unique in the fact that we create our own environment as opposed to adapting to it. Our large brains have allowed us to use tools and mental abilities to cope with weather, predators, etc. and it's the reason that we have expanded our population all over the globe.
Hi LuLu, I knew this one was coming. It's my opinion that the human brain is the result of millions of years of evolution. Just as every living thing has adapted to it's environment and evolved certain traits that enable it to survive, human beings have done the same thing. We're unique in the fact that we create our own environment as opposed to adapting to it. Our large brains have allowed us to use tools and mental abilities to cope with weather, predators, etc. and it's the reason that we have expanded our population all over the globe.
Do you also believe our emotions, ability to love, be philosphical, have moral convictions etc. are the result of evolutionary processes, survival or what have you? What about our desire for meaning and purpose?
When the brainwaves have flatlined, so has your heartbeat and at that point you're gone anyway....but the soul goes on.
I know that's the point of view of religion but as we all know, there's no evidence that this occurs, there's just faith.
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Ah....My fellow existentialist!
However:
) As well, individual's who have had near death experiences speak about looking down at themselves. What type of consciousness is that and from what does it stem? Mystics throughout time have entered into states where they have become united with something far outside their physical bodies and this physical realm...
