What Is Mind?

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Questor
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What Is Mind?

Post by Questor »

The Wikipedia entry for mind speaks to:
… that aspect of intellect and consciousness experienced as combinations of thought, perception, memory, emotion, will and imagination, including all unconscious cognitive processes. The term is often used to refer, by implication, to the thought processes of reason. Mind manifests itself subjectively as a stream of consciousness.
Theories of mind and its function are numerous. Earliest recorded speculations are from the likes of Zoroaster, the Buddha, Plato, Aristotle, Adi Shankara and other ancient Greek, Indian and, later, Islamic philosophers. Pre-scientific theories grounded in theology concentrated on the supposed relationship between the mind and the soul, our supernatural, divine or god-given essence.
Which attributes make up the mind is much debated. Some argue that only the higher intellectual functions constitute mind, particularly reason and memory. In this view the emotions—love, hate, fear, joy—are more primitive or subjective in nature and should be seen as different from the mind as such. Others argue that various rational and emotional states cannot be so separated, that they are of the same nature and origin, and should therefore be considered all part of what we call the mind.
Do any of these notions "correctly" speak to the notion of mind? Personally, I'm thinking not.

I find myself considering that mind is akin to notion of ether (which was once a popular name for so-called empty space). Might mind actually be another name for time and space? Might time and space be the manifestation of Cosmic Mind—God?

Just as Einstein used the equation E=mc² to demonstrate the relationship between energy and matter, might there be another equation that demonstrates that energy itself is a derivative of mind? Might the Wikipedia entries above simply be an epiphenomic expressions of our inter-action with mind. An inter-action wherein our brain "tunes into" b]mind[/b] rather like a super-heterodyne radio receiver "tunes into" radio frequency modulations (BTW: this is a simile not a metaphor)?

Might the impulse to know God be the result of our "brain" tuning into Cosmic Mind (the mind of God)?

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this.
May your light continue to shine …
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Neoplato
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Post by Neoplato »

Do any of these notions "correctly" speak to the notion of mind? Personally, I'm thinking not.

I find myself considering that mind is akin to notion of ether (which was once a popular name for so-called empty space). Might mind actually be another name for time and space? Might time and space be the manifestation of Cosmic Mind—God?

Just as Einstein used the equation E=mc² to demonstrate the relationship between energy and matter, might there be another equation that demonstrates that energy itself is a derivative of mind? Might the Wikipedia entries above simply be an epiphenomic expressions of our inter-action with mind. An inter-action wherein our brain "tunes into" b]mind[/b] rather like a super-heterodyne radio receiver "tunes into" radio frequency modulations (BTW: this is a simile not a metaphor)?

Might the impulse to know God be the result of our "brain" tuning into Cosmic Mind (the mind of God)?

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Hi Questor. It's me ....Neoplato. How very mystical of you to say this? :wink:

Your observation is right in line with this way of thinking. The Mind essence=Energy=Matter at some sort of conversion factor.

But when you get down to it...the conversion factor really isn't needed. :D
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Questor
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Post by Questor »

Neplate, I was hoping to elicit your way of thinking …
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Post by Neoplato »

Might the impulse to know God be the result of our "brain" tuning into Cosmic Mind (the mind of God)?
Or is it the imprint on our soul which is the source of mind which is enhanced by the development of the brain? :wink:
Infinite moment, grants freedom of winter death, allows life to dawn.

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Post by Evinnra »

Neoplato wrote:
Might the impulse to know God be the result of our "brain" tuning into Cosmic Mind (the mind of God)?
Or is it the imprint on our soul which is the source of mind which is enhanced by the development of the brain? :wink:
:shock: Wow, how succintly put! :)
'A fish popped out of the water only to be recaptured again. It is as I, a slave to all yet free of everything.'
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Post by Neoplato »

Wow, how succintly put! -Evinnra


For grammer's sake I should have phrased it:
Or is it the imprint on our soul which is the source of mind that is enhanced by the development of the brain?
Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, (IMHO) most people would dismiss this notion as nonsense. However, to me, life doesn't require a brain.

A brain was created from life (divine mind) to evolve and enhance life; the creator becoming the created. Hence our disposition toward mythology and religion. However, just like any other "tool", we can use our brains to "sow seeds" or for "reaping". (And if we misuse it, it may break :lol: )

And just because the creator (divine mind) has become the created, that doesn't mean that the "creator" has stopped creating (the unmanifested continues to manifest). :wink:
Infinite moment, grants freedom of winter death, allows life to dawn.

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Post by Questor »

returning to my"ether-like" analogy, perhaps the brain is more an interactive receiver that tunes into mind …
May your light continue to shine …
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Neoplato
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Post by Neoplato »

returning to my"ether-like" analogy, perhaps the brain is more an interactive receiver that tunes into mind … -Questor
How about a receiver, amplifier and tuner? :D

What we must learn is to set it to the DVMD station and play it at a volume that is comfortable for everyone. Of course, many people won't enjoy the "music"...but that may just mean they're not on the right "frequency". :wink:
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Post by Evinnra »

Neoplato wrote:
Wow, how succintly put! -Evinnra


For grammer's sake I should have phrased it:
Or is it the imprint on our soul which is the source of mind that is enhanced by the development of the brain?
I will be the last to complain about grammar mistakes. :roll: :lol:

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, (IMHO) most people would dismiss this notion as nonsense. However, to me, life doesn't require a brain.

A brain was created from life (divine mind) to evolve and enhance life; the creator becoming the created. Hence our disposition toward mythology and religion.
Couldn't agree more.

However, just like any other "tool", we can use our brains to "sow seeds" or for "reaping". (And if we misuse it, it may break :lol: )

And just because the creator (divine mind) has become the created, that doesn't mean that the "creator" has stopped creating (the unmanifested continues to manifest). :wink:
Not long ago there was a fascinating documenatry about the plasticity of the brain, I just wish I could recall its title. The documentary explored how much capacity the brain has for healing. Now we even have adult stem-cell technology , so who knows how far science will develop in this direction. The Soul, however, is an entirely 'different matter'. No? :wink:
'A fish popped out of the water only to be recaptured again. It is as I, a slave to all yet free of everything.'
http://evinnra-evinnra.blogspot.com

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Post by Neoplato »

The Soul, however, is an entirely 'different matter'. No?-Evinnra
What do you think causes the plasticity? :D If thinking differently causes the brain to rewire itself, what else can we change by thinking differently?

The source of life requires a soul for a thing to live, and we require a brain to recognize the soul. :wink:
Infinite moment, grants freedom of winter death, allows life to dawn.

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Post by romansh »

How is the mind separate from the brain?

What is the mind if not the imprint of the the universe on our brains?

This of course is a very monistic point of view ;)
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Questor
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Post by Questor »

Romansh,
Your last post contains both question and answer. How is mind distinct from brain? Brain is the instrument upon which mind overlays its imprint.
My question is this: "What is mind?"
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Post by romansh »

Questor wrote: Brain is the instrument upon which mind overlays its imprint.
My question is this: "What is mind?"
Questor
I definitely did not mean to say that! :no:

More like the universe's imprint on the brain is what we call the mind.

And my monism comment is to alert readers to hold the brain separate from the universe is at the very least arbitrary.
"That's right!" shouted Vroomfondel, "we demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!"

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Post by Neoplato »

More like the universe's imprint on the brain is what we call the mind.-Romansh
If it is an imprint on the "brain" how does a flower live? It has no brain! But yet it knows how to be a flower. Obviously, if it "knows" how to be a flower, there must be a source of mind. Life knows how to exist, no brain required. :D

The concept that life exists without a "brain" seems to be hard for those scientific "brains" to swallow.
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romansh
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Post by romansh »

Neoplato wrote:
More like the universe's imprint on the brain is what we call the mind.-Romansh
If it is an imprint on the "brain" how does a flower live? It has no brain! But yet it knows how to be a flower. Obviously, if it "knows" how to be a flower, there must be a source of mind. Life knows how to exist, no brain required. :D

The concept that life exists without a "brain" seems to be hard for those scientific "brains" to swallow.
This is a false argument for me, a non sequitur if you like.

How does an atom know how to be an atom?
How does a seed to know how how to be a seed?
How does a seedling know how to be be s seedling?
How does a blossom know how to blossom?
How does a human being know how to be a human being?

but then again I could ask:
How does a rock know how to be a rock?

Science and evolution in particular gives us a glimpse into to these splendours.

Now I don't know quite what you mean by 'source of mind' (the One?), but Paley's arguments were weak when he promoted them back at the turn of the nineteenth century and they remain weak today.

They boil down to "I don't know how it could be done, therefore god did it."

So does a flower need a brain or a mind to live? Plainly not. Campbell points to this when he observes, because we create things we also assume the world must also be created (PoM). I don't have the exact wording so some nuances maybe lost. Perhaps Clemsy has the correct wording handy?
"That's right!" shouted Vroomfondel, "we demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!"

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