The mind and reality

[Treeshepherd]

The brain is a filter, like a sluice box. And that tiny amount of sensory input that shakes out of the final micro-screen is further edited by the brain. In short, the brain is a powerful filter and real-time editor. Seeing is believing. Believing is seeing. Both of those statements have merit.

The edits are shaped by belief. For example, if you fear people of a certain race, you are more likely to pick them out of a perp lineup. Memory is largely comprised of fabrications.

Buddhism was mentioned, and Alan Watts. Buddhism stresses the concept of maya (illusion). Our brains work very hard to keep us living in the ego-self. There, we perceive the universe as made up of separate elements. We identify as 'individuals'. On the one hand, it is true that I am separate from that tree or rock. On the other hand, the universe is one indivisible continuous unity. Paradox.

 

[Unkotare]

The brain is a filter, like a sluice box. ..

A filter into what?

 

[Treeshepherd]

A filter of what? That would be the question. Things go into filters. Filters don't go into things, as a general rule

 

[Unkotare]

A filter of what? That would be the question. Things go into filters. Filters don't go into things, as a general rule

And? What's your answer?

 

[Treeshepherd]

My answer is that the vast majority of potential sensory input is filtered out by the brain, so we are able to do things like drive a car or type on this wretched iPhone device. It goes without saying that I'm using an analogy, and there is not literally a charcoal filter in the brain.

Another analogy I like expresses an alternative model of Mind. We can talk about the conscious universe, or the Great Mind described by Edgar Cayce, or Jung's collective unconscious.

And then we can imagine the brain, not as the source of consciousness, but more like a transistor radio which condenses consciousness from without. And the we can imagine becoming stuck on this channel or that frequency, and so on

 

[dilloduck]

I guess the brain filters sensory input for whatever you want to identify as the "person" or "self" part of ourselves.

 

[Bonita Louise]

The brain is a filter, like a sluice box. And that tiny amount of sensory input that shakes out of the final micro-screen is further edited by the brain. In short, the brain is a powerful filter and real-time editor. Seeing is believing. Believing is seeing. Both of those statements have merit.

The edits are shaped by belief. For example, if you fear people of a certain race, you are more likely to pick them out of a perp lineup. Memory is largely comprised of fabrications.

Buddhism was mentioned, and Alan Watts. Buddhism stresses the concept of maya (illusion). Our brains work very hard to keep us living in the ego-self. There, we perceive the universe as made up of separate elements. We identify as 'individuals'. On the one hand, it is true that I am separate from that tree or rock. On the other hand, the universe is one indivisible continuous unity. Paradox.

You have a fairly good handle on the concept of non dualism. I've read this thread and will hopefully return tomorrow and join the discussion. Right now i am falling asleep, lol.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Is the content of the mind perceptions of reality or reflections of empirical reality?

Misperceptions of reality I'd say. What reality consists of isn't perceived fully by our senses and so what's in our minds about the nature of reality is incorrect.

 

[Thunderbird]

It is easier for atheists to get lost in the hyperreal house of mirrors.

Because:
1) Materialists lack access to or even awareness of a being who knows the absolute Truth.
2) If our universe is considered accidental and deficient man will be more inclined to find refuge in a virtual universe of his own making.
3) If man thinks himself less than the Imago Dei he may feel incompetent to discern what’s lacking in a virtual world.

 

[Mindful]

Is the content of the mind perceptions of reality or reflections of empirical reality?

Misperceptions of reality I'd say. What reality consists of isn't perceived fully by our senses and so what's in our minds about the nature of reality is incorrect.

Wish that were so.........sometimes.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

We only see a fraction of the light spectrum, hear a fraction of the audible spectrum, etc. etc. Our opinion of reality is based upon a small fraction of reality.

 

[Mindful]

We only see a fraction of the light spectrum, hear a fraction of the audible spectrum, etc. etc. Our opinion of reality is based upon a small fraction of reality.

So.......what's the point of us? Of anything?

 

[Delta4Embassy]

We only see a fraction of the light spectrum, hear a fraction of the audible spectrum, etc. etc. Our opinion of reality is based upon a small fraction of reality.

So.......what's the point of us? Of anything?

Who said there has to be a point? If a gamma ray burst takes us out suddenly, what was the point? Or was there never a point to begin with?

 

[Mindful]

We only see a fraction of the light spectrum, hear a fraction of the audible spectrum, etc. etc. Our opinion of reality is based upon a small fraction of reality.

So.......what's the point of us? Of anything?

Who said there has to be a point? If a gamma ray burst takes us out suddenly, what was the point? Or was there never a point to begin with?

There has to be. Because we are subjective creatures. Our interpretation of reality is subjective.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

We only see a fraction of the light spectrum, hear a fraction of the audible spectrum, etc. etc. Our opinion of reality is based upon a small fraction of reality.

So.......what's the point of us? Of anything?

Who said there has to be a point? If a gamma ray burst takes us out suddenly, what was the point? Or was there never a point to begin with?

There has to be. Because we are subjective creatures. Our interpretation of reality is subjective.

We invent purpose because our brains are capable of greatly overcomplicating the simplest of things. But objectively, there's no purpose except whatever we invent for ourselves. A big comet can hit us any moment wiping out all life. The entire history of life on earth then ceases to exist, along with all the invented purpose. So how real was the purpose in the first place?

 

[Mindful]

We only see a fraction of the light spectrum, hear a fraction of the audible spectrum, etc. etc. Our opinion of reality is based upon a small fraction of reality.

So.......what's the point of us? Of anything?

Who said there has to be a point? If a gamma ray burst takes us out suddenly, what was the point? Or was there never a point to begin with?

There has to be. Because we are subjective creatures. Our interpretation of reality is subjective.

We invent purpose because our brains are capable of greatly overcomplicating the simplest of things. But objectively, there's no purpose except whatever we invent for ourselves. A big comet can hit us any moment wiping out all life. The entire history of life on earth then ceases to exist, along with all the invented purpose. So how real was the purpose in the first place?

That may well be so.

But the average brain can't comprehend that stuff.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

We only see a fraction of the light spectrum, hear a fraction of the audible spectrum, etc. etc. Our opinion of reality is based upon a small fraction of reality.

So.......what's the point of us? Of anything?

Who said there has to be a point? If a gamma ray burst takes us out suddenly, what was the point? Or was there never a point to begin with?

There has to be. Because we are subjective creatures. Our interpretation of reality is subjective.

We invent purpose because our brains are capable of greatly overcomplicating the simplest of things. But objectively, there's no purpose except whatever we invent for ourselves. A big comet can hit us any moment wiping out all life. The entire history of life on earth then ceases to exist, along with all the invented purpose. So how real was the purpose in the first place?

That may well be so.

But the average brain can't comprehend that stuff.

It can. it simply isn't much fun to do so if a pretty lie is more palattable.

 

[Mindful]

So.......what's the point of us? Of anything?

Who said there has to be a point? If a gamma ray burst takes us out suddenly, what was the point? Or was there never a point to begin with?

There has to be. Because we are subjective creatures. Our interpretation of reality is subjective.

We invent purpose because our brains are capable of greatly overcomplicating the simplest of things. But objectively, there's no purpose except whatever we invent for ourselves. A big comet can hit us any moment wiping out all life. The entire history of life on earth then ceases to exist, along with all the invented purpose. So how real was the purpose in the first place?

That may well be so.

But the average brain can't comprehend that stuff.

It can. it simply isn't much fun to do so if a pretty lie is more palattable.

Yours can.......perhaps?

You can't speak for all. That's also a false perception.

 

[Mindful]

What s The Point Of Anything Thought Catalog

 

[Vikrant]

If a brain cannot comprehend a comet hitting us and wiping us out then it is not an average brain