A line from Berkeley...

lifegazer said:

Sigh. Are you just winding me up or what?
My philosophy is founded upon this established truth - that we have our existence amongst an intangible realm.

How can something be a truth if you haven't defined your terms? That is like saying that it a truth that elephants are heavy. And then going on to say that a planet is pretty light in comparison to a star, so elephants weigh more than a planet. Without defining your terms, you have nothing. Given the vaugeness of you "truth" I can equally state that we are aware of existence through an intangible realm, which means exactly the same thing, and lends itself towards materialism.


We only know of sensations, thoughts and feelings. Our existence is comprised of abstract concepts/functions/attributes.

Correction, our *awareness* of existence is comprised of abstract concepts/functions/attributes.


An intangible realm does exist!!! (this is true even if an external reality also exists)

Again, you'll have to qualify the term "realm".


Read my last post again. After confirming the existence of an intangible realm, to which you have agreed twice now, the question is asked how we can know if there is a reality external to this established realm of existence, also. I.e., I then proceed to confront your question.

Our internal awareness is real. I.e., there is really an intangible awareness full of intangible sensations, thoughts & feelings. It's also distinct from any supposed external reality comprised of real objects in real spacetime, as opposed to the perception of illusory objects in illusory spacetime. Remember that all actual "things" seen within awareness are illusions and are not real.

Our perception and awareness is an abstract process. That says nothing about any source of those perceptions. Your claim is that the source is something real, the "Mind". A counter claim would be that the source is something real, a material existence.


Nothing perceived is real. We do not perceive actual reality, but rather a subjective reality.

The former does not follow the latter. Again, just because the process of perception is abstract, does not mean that it is a vast illusion.


Understand? It's important that you do. Yes, it's essentially important that you should realise that you have never sensed anything real in your whole life. The things you see are ghosts of things.

Assumption based on your fautly logic above. And it also depends on how you define "real".


Nonsense. Everything our senses tells us is about things existing internally to our awareness. Why is it that you cannot grasp this?

and why can't you grasp that the abstract nature of our perception does not prove anything about the source of our sensation?


How many times do I have to make the same point to you? How many times do I have to show you that you have personally never experienced a single thing beyond your own internal awareness?

You have to first answer what it means to experience something beyond your own awareness. When the universal awarness, the "Mind", feeds sensations into our own awareness, would we not be experiencing something beyond our own internal awareness?


The presence of order within our perceptions doesn't prove that there is an external reality. Not at all.

Too bad this isn't what the discussion is about. We don't have to prove that there is an external reality. Just prove that it is an alternate explaination to the false dichotomies you have presented.


I cannot believe that you have said this again after I painstakingly explained why it wasn't circular reasoning.
(1) An intangible realm is established.
(2) The question is asked whether there is a reality external to this intangible realm.
(3) I say "it is ludicrous to discuss a reality external to an intangible entity or entities. The reason I say this is because intangible entities are form-less. It is completely nonsensical to enquire of a reality external to an [established] intangible realm.".

And I have explained countless times why this is a false dichotomy. You have never responded, but instead go about your merry way.

The reason it is circular, is that you answer #3 from the only the point of view of your philosophy. If you would attempt to ask the question from different points of view, you would get different answers. Your proof assumes what you set out to prove, thus, it is circular.


I then used the example of a tooth fairy to drive my point home. Intangible entities possess no form. Nothing can be next to or external to an intangible entity or realm of intangibles.

However, a book that tells a tale about the tooth fairy, and gives the intangible representation, is something tangible. A tangible representation of an intangible entity.


You come out with crap like this and expect me not to call you a bozo?

Not really, we really expect the personal insults. You rarely discuss something on its merits, but rather repeat what you said before, call the idea ludicrus, crap, stupid, whatever, and then insult the individual.

We expect that from you.


My dreams behave exactly as though they were an external reality! Can we have some rationality here please, or there's no point to the discussion.

wow, you have some pretty special dreams. My dreams behave nothing like an external reality. They are non-linear, they aren't consistent, previous reality is corrected later on, ideas and memories are often represented on the pure abstract level, and not on a level where actual perception would take place. (ie, instead of actual hearing sounds, only words, or even ideas are heard). Left brain dreams are purely verbal in nature, no surrounding reality whatsoever. Dreams often contain representations of the world around you (ie, your alarm clock goes off, and you see a beeping badger in your dream, you hit it, it stops. You have hit your snooze bar). You can talk to someone while they are dreaming.


That reality being internal!

not even in your philosophy is the reality we perceive internal to our awareness, it is fed to us by the "Mind"


Utter tripe. I might not be offering a new improved technology. But I am offering everybody the insight that they are God and that they, therefore, should be striving for unity on Earth. Thus, I am offering peace, justice and equality for everyone. If they want it.

Most of us already have higher insight, we are all fellow human beings, we strive for unity, we offer peace, justice, and equality for everyone.


Nothing you see within/amongst your senses is real in itself. I've explained this so many times now that I'm gobsmacked you still don't gettit.

Depends on what you mean by see. If you mean the entire process, from photon emmision to awareness, then yes, the things you see are real. If you just mean the awareness part, then no, they are only abstract.
 
lifegazer said:

I have proved it, with reason. An intangible entity/realm possesses no form nor occupies any space. Therefore, nothing can exist next to it or around it, for where exactly is that entity/realm that we may be next to it or embrace it??!!!

*You* think you have proved it. We ask you to clarify elements of your proof, and you cannot. You simply attack the intelligence of the person asking, repeat what you said before, and move on. I have proved your philosophy is bunk with reason, does that mean that I am automatically right, I get my gold star, and I'll go home now? No, you get a chance to point out any flaws you think exist in my reasoning, and then I attempt to correct those flaws. And btw, saying something is "crap", is not pointing out a flaw. Reminds me of when you ask a teenager about something and they say "that sucks" you ask them why it sucks, they say "caus it really just, like, sucks".


Please wake up. I cannot believe that you do not understand this very simple logic. I must conclude that:-
(1) You refuse to accept it for fear of the consequences.

Oh yes, thet horrible unity you keep talking about.


(2) You're just winding me up regardless of whether you understand or not, because you're a ****.

We understand your logic, we just find odvious flaws in it. Very simple, basic ones too.
 
RussDill said:
How can something be a truth if you haven't defined your terms?
Please explain what your question means.

You see how dumb and annoying and evasive responses like mine are to perfectly understandable statements such as your own? Well, the same applies to you. Everyone here knows what I mean by an intangible realm comprised of abstract sensations which give rise to the appearance of intangible (illusory) things. We live the language.
Correction, our *awareness* of existence is comprised of abstract concepts/functions/attributes.
The point is that there is an intangible realm (of existence). The proof is in our own experience of existence.
Again, you'll have to qualify the term "realm".
Again, you'll have to stop playing silly games. I'm not interested.
Our perception and awareness is an abstract process. That says nothing about any source of those perceptions. Your claim is that the source is something real, the "Mind". A counter claim would be that the source is something real, a material existence.
There is an intangible realm of existence. We know this because "we" are in it. In fact, we are it. This is the only information that I need to proceed with my logic:-

An intangible entity/realm possesses no real form nor occupies any real space. Therefore, nothing can exist next to an intangible entity/realm or around it, for where exactly is that entity/realm that something might be next to it or embrace it??!!!

Clearly, by rational default, nothing can exist externally to an intangible realm. And since most of you have agreed that we exist within an intangible realm of sensation, thought & feeling, you must also acknowledge that nothing can exist externally to this realm.

Existence is within us, completely!!!!!!!!


(1) There is an intangible realm.
(2) Nothing can be external to such a realm.
(3) Therefore, only our intangible realm exists!!

Wake up call Russ. Meet your God, amongst you. Or just continue in denial.
 
RussDill said:
not even in your philosophy is the reality we perceive internal to our awareness, it is fed to us by the "Mind"
Now I remember why I got fed up of trying to have a proper discussion with you. You simply cannot comprehend, or do not listen to, my philosophy... even after all of my threads.

"we" perceive of nothing. "we" are the perception had by It.
There is only God. Russ is one of those illusory "things" I was talking about, being had within the awareness of God.
 
lifegazer, we can't trust your use of words because you don't stick to the meanings we understand. Witness your continued misuse of "singularity" which we understand to mean something that stands out as singular from everything around it (to keep it simple).
You may also not have picked up on something. Your theory predicts that the speed of light is constant, yes? It isn't. We science types have a word for theories that make predictions that turn out not to be the case. That word is "wrong".
 
Wudang said:
lifegazer, we can't trust your use of words because you don't stick to the meanings we understand. Witness your continued misuse of "singularity" which we understand to mean something that stands out as singular from everything around it (to keep it simple).
You may also not have picked up on something. Your theory predicts that the speed of light is constant, yes? It isn't. We science types have a word for theories that make predictions that turn out not to be the case. That word is "wrong".
Stay away unless you have something meaningful to contribute. I'm tired of your listening to your weak whines.
Fyi, the issue is not that the speed-of-light is the same everywhere through all mediums. It's that all observers will measure the same speed-of-light through a specific medium, regardless of their own velocity.
 
Oh dear more venom from the unity man.

Explain again why the argument does imply that the speed of sound is constant. I must have missed that.

I noticed that you finally admitted that you couldn't answer "Upchurch's question" by the way. I'm glad we settled that.
 
Wudang said:
Oh dear more venom from the unity man.

I'm tired of bozos and plonkers crying because I point out to them that they're being plonkers and bozos. Don't respond to this here because I'm about to start a thread about this very subject. Seriously.
Explain again why the argument does imply that the speed of sound is constant. I must have missed that.
It doesn't. That's what Russ says. I'll address that later.
I noticed that you finally admitted that you couldn't answer "Upchurch's question" by the way. I'm glad we settled that.
Yes we did settle it. The question was silly, as I stated.
 
Wudang said:
"The question was silly"? That's your great logical proof? Hilarious! Thanks for making my day!:D

Oh and once again you are abandoning a thread when proved wrong. At least you're consistent.
Originally posted by Upchurch:
If you reject materialism on the basis that you only perceive it through senses, why do you accept the existance of your own consciousness when the only basis you have for it are those same senses?

My response:-
The question is extremely silly when you look at it closely.
Let me rephrase it in line with my philosophy to show what I mean:-
"If you reject the idea that there is an external-reality on the basis that everything you perceive is shown to exist abstractly, in awareness, then why do you accept the existence of your own awareness when the only basis you have for it is the abstract entities (sensations, thoughts, feelings) which do exist therein?"
See what I mean?"
 
Wudang said:
And as was pointed out, you're assuming your philosophy in order to prove it which is a circular argument. Again. Ho hum.
What exactly am I assuming? Explain.
 
Time for a logic lesson lifegazer.

let me tell you why reason and logic do not prove anything.

lets take a look at this syllogism.

Major premise: I like fruits (this premise is true, I have eaten fuits and like them)
Minor premise: guavas are fruits. (this is true, by botanical defintion guava is a fruit)
Conclusion: I like guavas (this is implied by the premises. this is what must be tested to be proven true or false)

The syllogisim is valid the conclusion contains elements of both the major and minor premise. No we must test the conclusion to see if it is true. Remember the reasoning is not true by default. the logic may be valid but also wrong.

I test the conclusion by actually tasting a guava.
if I like the taste of the guava the logic is true
If I do not like the taste of the guava the logic is false.

Just because the syllogism or logic is valid does not mean the conclusion derived is true. the premises may bet true in themselves but the conclusion derived may be false. The logic must be tested. and inorder for the logic to be proven true the conclusion must be testable.

Another problem lies with in the language. lets take a look at yor argument."Clearly, by rational default, nothing can exist externally to an intangible realm. And since most of you have agreed that we exist within an intangible realm of sensation, thought & feeling, you must also acknowledge that nothing can exist externally to this realm."

Internal by definition implies an external. it is a reference. if something is internal, it is internal in reference to something external. so if our perception , reality, experiance is internal then it is internal in reference to something external. therefore something must exist external to this. so it does not follow that something cannot exist external to the internal realm. That is not possible according to the definition of the word. it must other wise there is no reference to give it the definition of internal. Intangible has the same connentation.
 
Okay let me try it this way - I'll recast the questionin terms of what may be my philosophy

"if you reject neuronal impulses from the sensory organs, why do you accept the validity of neuronal impulses from the cognitive centres?"

Do you see how the assumptions of that question presume the answer?
 
Wudang said:
Okay let me try it this way - I'll recast the questionin terms of what may be my philosophy

"if you reject neuronal impulses from the sensory organs, why do you accept the validity of neuronal impulses from the cognitive centres?"

Do you see how the assumptions of that question presume the answer?
No.
Stop prancing around and tell me exactly what I have assumed.
 
lifegazer said:
...tell me exactly what I have assumed.
IMO, you take what we all agree on....

Each of us {has/is} a subjective experience of the material universe!

[Edit]
I'd rather put it like this
<blockquote> Each of us has a subjective experience of the material universe!

Which you assume means...

Each of us is a subjective experience!</blockquote>
[/edit]

And assume this means there is no material universe.
*** Which implies that we don't exist.
*** (But we agree that each of us has/is subjective experience.)

You assume that subjectivity resides not as a faculty of your nonexistent human but as a willed projection of God.

And assume that this makes us God. As if my thoughts on popsicles is me.

I know you don't agree with those assertions.

But you also assume Armageddon or Utopia based on humankind's acceptance of your philosophy.
 
Gazer,

You have missed so much of my posts. How do you expect to have any credibility when you simply say you are right but ignore logical arguments?

lifegazer said:
Stop prancing around and tell me exactly what I have assumed.
It has been spelled out to you time and time again. How is it you don't understand?

(2) Nothing can reside next to or externally to an intangible realm, by rational default. I have explained why and I'm not repeating myself.
It is plausible that our internal realm exists inside of our mind (brain). You haven't proven that it doesn't only claimed that it can't.

By virtue of the fact that we agree upon the existence of an intangible realm, we must conclude that there is nothing which exists externally to this realm, because of (2)
We may all agree that our perceptions are an internal realm but it doesn't follow that an external realm does not exist.
 
lifegazer
How can you agree that an intangible realm possesses neither form nor space yet think that it's irrelevant to ask what exists beyond our intangible realm of existence?
Now you are making straw men. I never said that it was irrelevant to ask. On the contrary I embrace the question. and there are at the very least two answers.
  1. Nothing exists beyond this intangible realm.
  2. Reality exists and this intangible realm exists
    [/list=1] You can't prove that reality doesn't exist. I can't prove absolutely that reality does exist. However,
    • My senses tell me that reality does exist.
    • There is order and predictability that testifies that reality does exist.
    • The rule of parsimony dictates that I don't need mysterious forces to explain what my senses tell me is real.
 
Our intangible existence is within our mind. To prove it we can hit someone over the head and change that which is intangible. We can perform lobotomies and predictably change individual's "intangible" experiences.

If you take a drink of alcohol it changes your intangible experience and it does so in a very predictable way.

Why?

According to gazer alcohol + blood chemistry + brain + god's mind + mysterious forces.

Naturalism.
Alcohol + blood chemistry + brain
 

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