Buddhism

Newest Reality

(12,712 posts) Thu Mar 8, 2012, 04:49 PM Mar 2012

Seeking the Self: A Ghost Story

We are all quite certain that we have a self. When you say "I like chocolate" or "I vote progressive," no one asks what you mean by "I." That task was left for centuries to philosophers and theologians. "Know thyself" is an axiom worth heeding, but what is there to know? If one camp of modern science has its way, the answer is "nothing." The self, we are told, is an illusion created by the complexity of brain functions. As thousands of inputs bombard each other every second, forming an almost infinite tangle of neural messages, a ghost was created whose name is "I."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/know-self_b_1322867.html

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Seeking the Self: A Ghost Story (Original Post) Newest Reality Mar 2012 OP

rather apologetically & somewhat contrary to the nature of our group .... marasinghe Mar 2012 #1

Thanks for commenting ... Newest Reality Mar 2012 #2

marasinghe

(1,253 posts)

1. rather apologetically & somewhat contrary to the nature of our group ....

Reply to Newest Reality (Original post)

Thu Mar 8, 2012, 09:34 PM

Mar 2012

.... the lines of your Opening Post, seem reminiscent to me, of the common rightwing personality of these times.

again: sorry. didn't mean to make light of your post, or anything like that. just to reiterate that -- people (on both the right & left peripheries; myself included) need to keep a sharper eye on themselves, to analyze the sources of their convictions & ideologies, on an ongoing basis. which would be a 'Buddhist' thing to do as well -- with regard to one's understanding; 'Samma Ditthie', if you will & if i may venture to use the term.

quite a thought-provoking post of yours.

Newest Reality

(12,712 posts)

2. Thanks for commenting ...

Reply to marasinghe (Reply #1)

Thu Mar 8, 2012, 10:04 PM

Mar 2012

I think the subject of the nature of self is a very open and poignant topic.

The OP text is the author's opinion and my views on the matter of no-self are apolitical. The author's views were in relation to science and self.

Context is important and there are many factors in doctrines of no-self that clarify misconceptions and inferences.

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