damn-I-Suck
[12] Conqueror
@kingace
I'm not trying to derail your post, after all, it was well written and I even agree with some of the things you say.
However...
"Our thoughts most definitely supersede this universe"
I have a problem with this statement. Without experience of any kind, the human mind is then Tabula Rasa (or blank slate). You cannot separate experience from who we are. Using God as an example, if I for some reason had never been exposed to this concept, I would have never known what it is. Same thing with just about any other concept in life.
So how can our thoughts supersede the physical world if our minds are dependent on our experiences? I don't doubt for a second that human beings have an amazing imagination, creativity, and cleverness. The reason that a marooned person stuck on a island builds a boat is NOT because his mind supersedes the universe, but rather his reason, common sense, and being able to visualize the final result, enables him to invent such amazing things.
As for human beings, we are such a complicated and convoluted race that it's no surprise that we developed a vivid imagination. Intelligence leads to creativity and innovation, creativity leads to imagination, and imagination leads to fantasy. It's the sole reason why human beings are the only animals on earth who engage in fantasy fiction.
I don't see this as being special, I see this as simply the fact that human beings are smarter than all other animals. Think of fantasy and creativity as by-products of an advanced brain development.
Don't take this as me not respecting you, on the contrary, I happen to respect you more than most on this site:)
I'm not trying to derail your post, after all, it was well written and I even agree with some of the things you say.
However...
"Our thoughts most definitely supersede this universe"
I have a problem with this statement. Without experience of any kind, the human mind is then Tabula Rasa (or blank slate). You cannot separate experience from who we are. Using God as an example, if I for some reason had never been exposed to this concept, I would have never known what it is. Same thing with just about any other concept in life.
So how can our thoughts supersede the physical world if our minds are dependent on our experiences? I don't doubt for a second that human beings have an amazing imagination, creativity, and cleverness. The reason that a marooned person stuck on a island builds a boat is NOT because his mind supersedes the universe, but rather his reason, common sense, and being able to visualize the final result, enables him to invent such amazing things.
As for human beings, we are such a complicated and convoluted race that it's no surprise that we developed a vivid imagination. Intelligence leads to creativity and innovation, creativity leads to imagination, and imagination leads to fantasy. It's the sole reason why human beings are the only animals on earth who engage in fantasy fiction.
I don't see this as being special, I see this as simply the fact that human beings are smarter than all other animals. Think of fantasy and creativity as by-products of an advanced brain development.
Don't take this as me not respecting you, on the contrary, I happen to respect you more than most on this site:)