ego

Einstein, Freud, Rumi, your spiritual teachers...did not understand the Ego. “The Ego is the missing consciousness” Adrian Ferent A lot of Great Thinkers have tried to define the Ego, but without success. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iamsdFzWog&feature=plcp...

I do understand the basic answer of chemichal processes within a physical system. My question is in the context of psychology or philosophy. I'm curious to know if an atheist finds any definition of the ego useful or relevant.

Why do people believe in Heaven? <B><I> Ego.</B></I> Let's face it, that's the only reason for ANYONE to believe in an Afterlife. People don't want to even contemplate the thought that they just *might* blink out of existance after death: their body will decay, their 'spirit' just disapates...

I wasn't really sure where to put this.....so I put it here. It strikes me as strange the way the concept of ego has come to be accepted to the point that an ego is considered to be a literally existing thing, rather than a convenient short hand for describing certain aspects of perceived and...