Little thoughts

[bearringsd]

I've been thinking a lot about religion and spirit lately ( and it's pretty cool to see discussions pop up in other people's journals as well -hi kingfuraday!). Some of the ideas I've been knocking around are about what constitutes these things people call "spirit" or "self" or "thoughts". Some people believe that we are spiritual beings inhabiting

Comments

[bigkid]

Well, scientifically speaking, thoughts are just the electrical impulses firing from the neurons in the brain. Moods/emotions are caused by increased or decreased neuro-transmitters (chemicals) in the brain. There's already some research and "proof" about that... so yeah, there's already scientific evidence about that (I studied a lot of this in my biopsychology class a few years back).

However, that data and the links you talk about aren't as concrete as, say, that Vitamin D is good for you. It's still mostly theory, and theory that "does pretty good" at trying to encompass many sets of data that have varying results.

Still begs the question, what induces the eltrical impulses and release of neuro-transmitters to begin with? With what we "know" about this topic, I don't think you'll get very far with that question or prove that there definitely isn't a "spirit" along with the body. We just don't know enough yet.

[bearringsd]

Yeah, and that is a dilemma that shows up in other schools of thought as well. What are thoughts and who is the thinker? What is the difference?

[onethsndwords]

This is a great post! I am pretty much agnostic in most cases, but I am starting to come around as I study more eastern philosophy in religion...

[bearringsd]

Yah, me too. Questioning things is important and liberating, but also a bit scary, no?

[bearringsd]

Right and thus, am I trying to grasp something that by it's very nature I cannot grasp?

[flyrail]

I remember a friend had once been asked by LDS missionaries what she thought happened after you die. Her response was "I have always been fond of the theory that you lay in the ground and rot."

OK, kind of flip, but imagine that. In the moment of your death, thoughts simply stop moving forward. That instant is frozen, and all of the thoughts, memories, and impulses that led to that moment hover for an instant. Then it all begins to very slowly imperceptibly collapse back on itself as each chemical connection decays, devolving eventually into simpler chemicals until they disappear. Who you are ceases to exist, except in the events and thoughts that you set in motion with others that continue forward.

To me it is very peaceful. Also, disquieting.

[bearringsd]

There's an almost zen quality to that description. It does sound very peaceful. thank you for sharing that. :-)