Belief in Reincarnation Tied to Memory Errors

[VooDooX]

why would the trait of self awareness help at all? and are all animals self aware? i don't know i can tell you I am pretty sure a dog, and a horse, and most mammals seem self aware to me. but an insect or a plant does not i don't think an insect has an awareness. its more of a robot then anything else being ordered by its cells for example... too hot here move, too cold here move, hungry eat, and so on. but i don't think it ponders what's going on other then that. some live far too short to need such a thing why we have self awareness is beyond me maybe as intelligence increases it just sinks in. when we naturally wonder what we are that we are a continuing being. this leaves me to speculate that computers once they reach a certain intelligence, may accidentally acquire this trait. as each motherboard is ever so slightly different then the next. even tho manufactured to strict tolerances. computers besides the point it can be argued we are just a very advanced computer developed by life over the eons to control the body and that may very well be all we are a self aware organic computer. just because we can make real computers doesn't mean nature hasn't already done a far better job, given its billions of years. the human brain acts very similar to a computer in almost every way, so you would be hard pressed to argue that this cannot be true.

 

[Galteeth]

Self awareness is a product of human evolution as is an appendix. All I'm saying is that mutations take place, traits are developed and if they work toward continuing a species they remain a functioning part of its physiology. If you think the neuronal mechanisms involved in producing subjective self awareness are anything more than a physiological adaptation to the environment I would beg to differ.

I don't. I agree, they (the mechanisms that produce self-awareness) are the result of evolution. What I am not sure about is what the function of subjective self awareness is.

 

[baywax]

why would the trait of self awareness help at all? and are all animals self aware? i don't know i can tell you I am pretty sure a dog, and a horse, and most mammals seem self aware to me. but an insect or a plant does not i don't think an insect has an awareness. its more of a robot then anything else being ordered by its cells for example... too hot here move, too cold here move, hungry eat, and so on. but i don't think it ponders what's going on other then that. some live far too short to need such a thing why we have self awareness is beyond me maybe as intelligence increases it just sinks in. when we naturally wonder what we are that we are a continuing being. this leaves me to speculate that computers once they reach a certain intelligence, may accidentally acquire this trait. as each motherboard is ever so slightly different then the next. even tho manufactured to strict tolerances. computers besides the point it can be argued we are just a very advanced computer developed by life over the eons to control the body and that may very well be all we are a self aware organic computer. just because we can make real computers doesn't mean nature hasn't already done a far better job, given its billions of years. the human brain acts very similar to a computer in almost every way, so you would be hard pressed to argue that this cannot be true.

Self awareness has helped humans to survive in a manner to which they have become accustomed.

We can't, at the moment, pin point the exact self awareness areas of the brain. There are rude guesses but no specific region or group of regions that stand out like the visual cortex does and so on. If we were able to see a difference between the neurons that act as self awareness generators we might be able to discern if insects carry the same neurons. That wouldn't prove they do or don't have self awareness since they may have the genealogical physiology for the function while, perhaps, not using it.

I do know a bee appears to exhibit a degree of self awareness in that it knows it has to do a dance to communicate with its peers. This would indicate that the bee has an awareness of its individuality in relation to its work mates and that its individuality is of some importance to the survival of the group.

I don't know if bees believe they are reincarnated from chain saws or from an aunt on Andy of Mayberry.

 

[baywax]

I don't. I agree, they (the mechanisms that produce self-awareness) are the result of evolution. What I am not sure about is what the function of subjective self awareness is.

The product of a mechanism is as much a result of evolution as the mechanism itself. Not only is a function's product the result of evolution, it will go on to become a factor in evolution because it becomes a part of the environment... which determines mutation/adaptation etc.

 

[Galteeth]

The product of a mechanism is as much a result of evolution as the mechanism itself. Not only is a function's product the result of evolution, it will go on to become a factor in evolution because it becomes a part of the environment... which determines mutation/adaptation etc.

Yes, but still it's not clear what specific factor the subjective experience of awareness (not the objective functions of such) plays in evolution. And I don't doubt that it does, so don't misunderstand me. I am just trying to point out that there is something there that we don't quite grasp yet.

On a related note, I am reading this very interesting book by Richard Hofstadter called I am a Strange Loop. I am not finished yet, but it seems as those he may have some specific ideas in regard to this.

 

[baywax]

Yes, but still it's not clear what specific factor the subjective experience of awareness (not the objective functions of such) plays in evolution.

The subjective experience of awareness clearly dictates behaviour. From there, behaviour becomes an enormous influence on the individual and the individual's environment. These two factors are two of the building blocks of evolution.

But this is as far off topic as things can get. Unless we are trying to tie evolution into reincarnation the thread appears to be de-railing.

 

[baywax]

Reincarnation: It's Background
Reincarnation comes from the Hindu-buddhist philosophy of soul transmigration. This is the "religious" concept of the eternal birth-death-birth cycle, where a soul moves from body to body. The status of each successive body, whether human or animal, is the direct result of the quality of the life the soul led in the previous body. Thus, a "good" life results in rebirth to a higher quality form, and a "bad" life results in rebirth to a lower quality form. This forward and backward progression is based on the Law of Karma, a central foundation of Hinduism and other Eastern-based philosophies. As most of us know, Karma teaches that good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds are punished. The ultimate goal in this Karma cycle is for the soul to progress to the highest level of existence and become one with the universe. Reincarnation is taught side-by-side with pantheism, the belief that everything is God and God is in everything. Reincarnation and pantheism are the central doctrines of Hinduism and occultism, variations of which have grown popular in the Western world in recent decades.

http://www.allaboutspirituality.org/reincarnation.htm

For me to understand reincarnation I guess I'll have to understand what a "soul" is. Any suggestions? (I'd prefer a physical rather than metaphysical explanation if possible)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

http://www.allaboutspirituality.org/reincarnation.htm

For me to understand reincarnation I guess I'll have to understand what a "soul" is. Any suggestions? (I'd prefer a physical rather than metaphysical explanation if possible)

That would not be appropriate. A little background is okay, but we are only interested in any potential evidence supporting the claims of or beliefs in reincarnation.

 

[baywax]

That would not be appropriate. A little background is okay, but we are only interested in any potential evidence supporting the claims of or beliefs in reincarnation.

Please excuse any inappropriateness on my part at this sensitive time of year.

The only evidence I've seen or heard of about reincarnation is the stories of young children walking through a village they've never visited and knowing the side streets and the people by name.