To be fair, the if you look at the scientific evidence at face value, free will and the sense of self are probably both illusions that work because our brain is not a magic computer but a survival machine. It’s made to process input and help use information to aid survival. It simplifies, cuts corners, and creates an illusion of a narrative self.
But our consciousness influences our mind (we can store in our memory what we feel/sense for example), so my take is that the self has a role, probably in survival because it’s cheaper energy wise, but still. What do you think?
Not saying it’s free will, just that “we” influence our lives from time to time.
Self is made of thought, there is no control center anywhere that is “self”. Thoughts appear by themselves spontaneously, you can’t stop them, you can’t make them, you can’t foretell what they will be. And thought has been proven time and time again to appear after the fact that a decision is made, a movement is started. There’s science behind this but you can also experiment with this by yourself.
It is not for the faint of heart and it may lead to a rabbit hole of other insights that might feel scary. The good thing about that is there have been many walking that path, so there is guidance to be had and that scary feeling is also “just thoughts”.
Yeah, but your consciousness was itself shaped by your experiences and genetic predispositios. There’s no “you” that can be separated from your material circumstances.
“Free Will” by Sam Harris is a good one. Also “Why Buddhism is true” by Robert Wright.
If these tickled your fancy there are tons more. It’s a surprisingly flourishing area of science.
Also, remember, nothing of this is anything you have to believe in, it can all be tested by yourself. All very free of “woo woo”.
If that is something you would like to explore then I recommend Sam Harris app “Waking Up”.
Enjoy!
To be fair, the if you look at the scientific evidence at face value, free will and the sense of self are probably both illusions that work because our brain is not a magic computer but a survival machine. It’s made to process input and help use information to aid survival. It simplifies, cuts corners, and creates an illusion of a narrative self.
But our consciousness influences our mind (we can store in our memory what we feel/sense for example), so my take is that the self has a role, probably in survival because it’s cheaper energy wise, but still. What do you think?
Not saying it’s free will, just that “we” influence our lives from time to time.
Self is made of thought, there is no control center anywhere that is “self”. Thoughts appear by themselves spontaneously, you can’t stop them, you can’t make them, you can’t foretell what they will be. And thought has been proven time and time again to appear after the fact that a decision is made, a movement is started. There’s science behind this but you can also experiment with this by yourself.
It is not for the faint of heart and it may lead to a rabbit hole of other insights that might feel scary. The good thing about that is there have been many walking that path, so there is guidance to be had and that scary feeling is also “just thoughts”.
Yeah, but your consciousness was itself shaped by your experiences and genetic predispositios. There’s no “you” that can be separated from your material circumstances.
Very well put! I love that you explained it from the scientific perspective.
Got any books in this direction?
“Free Will” by Sam Harris is a good one. Also “Why Buddhism is true” by Robert Wright. If these tickled your fancy there are tons more. It’s a surprisingly flourishing area of science. Also, remember, nothing of this is anything you have to believe in, it can all be tested by yourself. All very free of “woo woo”. If that is something you would like to explore then I recommend Sam Harris app “Waking Up”. Enjoy!
I would enjoy talking to you at a party.
Only if I can start that conversion remotely and at a time I decide.