Vote: Physical Existence Poll: 4 Options

[nannoh]

This poll presents these options "I experience life as a physical phenomenon" and "I experience life as a non - physical phenomenon" and will include the obligatory third option of "all of the above" and the 4th choice "I experience life in a way other than physical, non-physical and not as a combination of both". You can expand on the reasons for your vote in the thread below.

 

[nannoh]

I chose all of the above because I've been exposed to the two explanations for the nature of the universe namely physical and non-physical.

If I was smart I would have put down this sort of question and choices.

Which of these elements are not physical

energy

warts

cheese

thought

electromagnetic waves

gravity

water

hunger

pain

happiness

If there is a good response to this poll I or someone else could try a poll with this format.

 

[Gelsamel Epsilon]

I said all of the above because I experience physical things like feeling and hearing etc. but I also experience my consciousness and thought. While I believe consciousness will one day be described through the interaction of things in the brain I currently experience it as something I don't understand and therefore 'feels' non-physical to me.

 

[pibomb]

I don't believe in divine beings, so I mainly think life is physical

 

[octelcogopod]

I believe that even if we could quantify and predict every little detail in the brain and body, that the message is still lost.
By the way consciousness works, we can see that there's no way to meaningfully create an equation for this alleged qualia.
I know I've said this a lot lately, and maybe people are bored of it, but the fact that we haven't really got a clue as to how consciousness works even after all the progress in science and technology, I sort of doubt we're going to get anywhere..

It really boils down to the fact that you can't really prove that anything else is self aware.
In nature, there really is no difference between a human and a stone, in the sense that they both move when the physical conditions are met, like a stone moves if the ocean hits it, and the human moves when the brain gives signals; of which many people are trying to convince me is purely physical.. And it might be, but do you think that gives a satisfactory 'solution' to consciousness, life and so forth?

 

[nannoh]

I see we have choices #1 and #4 neck and neck (along with "all of the above") in the poll so far.

Could someone at least attempt to describe what a phenomenon that is neither physical, non-physical nor a combination of both is like?

This would be a difficult undertaking since physically describing (typing a description) of a non-physical phenomenon sounds pretty well impossible as it is.

One of my next poll questions will include a decision about energy. Is it physical or not?

Energy is thought to be a property of the physical condition. Energy seems to be a result of physical conditions but is it a physical condition itself?

 

[Castlegate]

I'm in the non-physical camp, because I know it can't be any other way.

 

[vadslram]

I think therefor I am but if I am not then I can not think.
Or in my case I fart therefor I smell

we could all be a manifestation of thought, a character in a dream but I have to believe that without physical form at some point there wouldn't be the spark of thought.

 

[Castlegate]

we could all be a manifestation of thought, a character in a dream but I have to believe that without physical form at some point there wouldn't be the spark of thought.

Thats just it ... Your form is not physical. A car slamming into a bridge abutment is not a physical undertaking. Physical existence is no more than an idea. In other words ... without thought we couldn't fool ourselves into thinking of life as a physical enterprise. If there are such things as fundamental entities, and I do believe this is so, then we must conclude that these entities are made of nothing at all, for what else would it be for that which has no parts? We cannot examine these entities beyond it's form. They are in a nutshell ... geometric forms of nothing, and each and every form knows the extent of it's existence i.e. they are thoughts and conscious of themselves. Now before you get your undies in a wad - I am not saying that a fundamental entity can have a conversation with you, although some people have tried to talk to walls. So in some ways ... I'm not sure what is smarter, a wall or people.

 

[nannoh]

Thats just it ... Your form is not physical.

Many have decided form is physical. Their definition of physical is form.

If the physical form is exclusively energy, which is the going theory today, then it is our decision to perceive form as the result of energy, in a physical form.

There may be no boundaries between us all and all the energy in the universe, that is, the universe may simply be one great mass of energy. However, so far, the only way for us to be able to observe the universe is to view it as a collection of different forms and different manifestations of the same, energy.

For now, and for a long time to come we will be bumping into things and getting hungry and thirsty which are all physical attributes. There are people who have transcended the worries inherent in the perceived signals of a physcial world but these people are in the minority. And it may be that everyone of us has the potential to ignore the "illusion" of hunger, thirst, pain and so on and how nice to start teaching that practice to those who need it most ie: the starving, the thirsty and those who are suffering. However, I'm convinced that in order to be able to live without the tethers of a physical existence, one has to know what its like to do so ie: live with an awareness of abundance. And so it appears to be a bit of a case of tail chasing and a "catch 22".

Next time you whack your shin on a coffee table or burn your mouth with some hot coffee, do your best to remember how absolutely metaphysical you are and how there is no pain and no consequences to your actions.

 

[Castlegate]

Many have decided form is physical. Their definition of physical is form.

But I doubt many will say that there is (Nothing) behind that form.

Next time you whack your shin on a coffee table or burn your mouth with some hot coffee, do your best to remember how absolutely metaphysical you are and how there is no pain and no consequences to your actions.

You have misunderstood my conjecture.

 

[nannoh]

But I doubt many will say that there is (Nothing) behind that form.

Here is where my conjecture is misinterpreted. If someone makes somethng of nothing then, for that person, there is something.

You have misunderstood my conjecture.

If all of existence is "one" then it would be impossible for me to misunderstand your conjecture. Feel free elaborate.