RE: Are We More Than Our Physical Bodies?
With the utmost of respect Luke, I'm opting for 'utter bollocks' ;-)
Serious answer is that as intelligent humans, we seem to have this intrinsic requirement to find purpose, to find greater good and as such we seem to create intricate uncomprehendable mysterious powers and expanded places in time and space.
I'd suggest that religion, originally concieved to explain the unexplainable and thus create power over the masses due to their percieved belief that such religious leaders had special knowledge that they looked up to, is the reason for most of this searching.
At the end of the day, we have an inquisitive nature, and if we begin running out of things to inquire about, we start inventing stuff.
Until evolution gives us the ability to be at peace with ourselves and accept we have no reason for being and that we get our 70 or 80 years before permanently bowing out, humanity will be blighted by constant belief systems fighting for attention and trying to impose themselves on others's belief systems.
We need to let this go. We need to learn to live and let live and accept we all breathe the same air and share the same resources and all have an equal right.
Develop empathy and compassion whilst pushing arrogance jealousy and greed out of the human psyche.
Or perhaps its me whos talking bollocks, I can also accept that possibilty too.
Best wishes to you and the wife :-)
Utter bollocks is certainly a valid, reasonable answer! The book I linked to as a sub note may be interesting to you though. I also find stuff like this super fascinating:
I am happy to report that at this level, my intelligence runs out so I can remain blissfully ignorant!
I know there are a great many things that I'm sure we don't yet understand, but I remain committed that within my time here I will try to whatever I feel is right for myself and others as often as possible because I also know that there is no way I will understand things like quantum mechanics so I will leave it to those that do, and have a certain amount of trust in what they tell me! I try to question everything and make rational and reasonable judgements but sometimes, like many others, I'm just not clever enough...this population intelligence differential is a humanity problem in itself.
I will watch the video and check out the book. I do actually find this stuff interesting when it's presented in principals I can grasp!!
Thanks for the share and I look forward to reporting back! A beautiful weekend to you both.
I agree, when it's presented in a format I can comprehend (reason, logic, evidence, skepticism, etc), it's easier for me to grasp. At the same time, there's a hint on the edges of my mind that I'm still missing something important by remaining in the realm of physicality. That might also be my early religious teaching at work and/or the nature of our consciousness to find meaning, even if we have to create it ourselves.
Thank you for putting up The Simulation Hypothesis. It was a lot to take in and I need to watch it again. I looked through your post and I find the things and thoughts you share interesting. I am going to follow and looking forward to your future post.
Thank you. :)