Buddhists seem to think there is something non-material about the mind. But surely the mind is just the brain, or maybe a program running on the brain? Humans are machines - biological computers or automata. The universe does not require our existence - we are accidents of evolution. Our minds cease to exist when the brain dies.
2006-07-23 00:10:32 · 21 answers · asked by Mr. Mojo Risin 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
And then there are those that their minds cease to exist long before their death.
2006-07-23 02:53:16 · answer #1 · answered by drg5609 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well Buddhists do have that belief as do most major world religions. But I understand that there is a spiritual dimension to our existence and our being. However, I don't believe that soul is the same as the mind or the brain.
There is a lot of evidence in near death experiences to tell us that the soul continues on after the biological body ceases to function. I have second hand experience through my wife's own experience and through many other people that I've spoken with about their experience, which were all very similar.
There is also evidence in the psychic realm and with past life memories which many people experience. This cannot be easily explained in terms of modern science.
2006-07-23 09:25:06 · answer #2 · answered by idspudnik 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In believing this you are closing your mind which is something that can be very dangerous to do. Never deny what you can't see or understand, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist it just means you don't believe it exists and if it turns out to exist then you are in more trouble not believing than if you believed and found out nothing was there. Besides, there are too many things that the mind as a computer like thing just can't account for. Influences, struggles, coincoidences, feelings, individuality. It accounts to more than just the physical components of a brain.
2006-07-23 07:24:16 · answer #3 · answered by sereneicequeen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically, you're right. The mind belongs to the brain and will die when the body dies. However, consciousness does not belong to the mind. Consciousness is a living force connected through the heart to the greater Soul of God. It is what makes us all one with the universe and it's creator.
I came to this realization after achieving great heights in Buddhist study and practice when I was younger. That is why I eventually arrived at Islam for the great answers, although one needs to follow the "Sufis" for these spiritually challenging questions.
2006-07-23 07:17:58 · answer #4 · answered by Mustafa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm Christian and I ALSO think that the mind is non-material.
If you have an identical twin, each raised in a different environment, each one will have a different mind set. What accounts for that since they are both identical genetically?
Another way to look at this is the operation of your computer. The hardware and the software, which parallels your body and your mind. Software is certainly non-material, (not to be confused with the floppy or CD or RAM on which they are present).
Can the mind exist on it own? No.
2006-07-23 07:27:03 · answer #5 · answered by flandargo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
unless you have experienced the state of mind induced through meditation there is no way of grasping the super conscious non duel vision of a sage,much the same way as a blind man (from birth) trys to grasp the nature of vision and colour,you just don't have the mental capacity./the mind survives death in the seed state the Buddhist way and any religion that perfects the mind(through meditation) unites the individual soul with the supreme soul thus merging you in god him self ,all other religion teach that you are different than the self this is wrong knowledge and why they are meaningless with regard to evolution of the soul (which is the meaning of life)
2006-07-23 07:31:01 · answer #6 · answered by gasp 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This could explain a lot, maybe your mind ceased before your brain died. You might be an accident of evolution, I most certainly am not.
2006-07-23 16:43:09 · answer #7 · answered by racam_us 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What about the energy that exists in the brain? According to the laws of physics, energy cannot be destroyed - only transferred or transformed. The soul is a form of energy, so it must either transform to another form of energy/matter or transfer to somewhere.
2006-07-23 07:24:24 · answer #8 · answered by DDK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Too much to think about and take in all at once. My brain may shut down or freeze up like a computer that has a software problem.
2006-07-23 07:19:05 · answer #9 · answered by JBWPLGCSE 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The idea of survival of the personality after death is intrinsic to most, if not all religions. You reject them out of hand, so you must be able to empirically demonstrate the non-existence of an undetectable object and thus prove a negative under rigorous scientific scrutiny, yes?
2006-07-23 07:20:47 · answer #10 · answered by rich k 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a program .. a software ..
a computer can not work without a program ... ok ...
but is there a program without a programmer ..
who wrote microsoft windows xp proffesional ..
a programmer off course ..
then
if our brain has a program ..
then there must be a programmer ...
also .. when there is no elecricity .. can computer work ..
and you will agree with me that there must be an electric generator generating the electricity ... ok ... and that machine has a maker and designer as well ....
it is simple if you want ...
2006-07-23 07:57:05 · answer #11 · answered by u&me 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋