Which is better materialism or spirtitualism?I hope the answers r positive.?

Answer 1

Materialism as a philosophical doctrine has been defunct for several decades already. It has been replaced by what is called "physicalism", because materialism as a philosophical doctrine asserted that matter is the only reality ~ understanding by matter, small irreducible particles of stuff, rather along the lines of ancient greek atomism. Materialism was destroyed by work in physics that dissolved the little hard atoms into waves & energy, & made it impossible to conceive of matter as anything ultimate. Physicalism asserts that the physical things that physics treats as the ultimates are the only existents ~ energy, waves, & whatever else. This is a more sophisticated & up-to-date formulation of materialism.

"Spiritualism" has for quite a long time been reserved as the name for the quasi-religious movement that began in 1848 with the doings of the Fox sisters, & associated with the view that, in effect, the spirits of the dead are responsible for all those phenomena that we call paranormal. I don't think that this is what you mean.

Which doctrine is better ~ the undefined spiritualism or materialism/physicalism in whatever form? Obviously, one would think that the truer doctrine is the better doctrine.

Physicalism is coming to be completely untenable. From the empirical standpoint, there is just too much evidence from parapsychology that mind & brain aren't identical, & if it becomes necessary to say that mind is an existent distinct from the brain, then physicalism is effectively finished. The evidence from parapsychology establishes the actuality of telepathy, clairvoyance, & psychokinesis, & it provides strong support for phenomena like out-of-body experiences. This evidence is rejected primarily by people who haven't actually bothered to look at the evidence with an open mind, because they're committed for various reasons to physicalism as a kind of religion.

Physicalism has to be discarded if it can be shown that mind is an existent distinct from the brain; in other words, that mind & mentation aren't reducible to brain functioning. Because mind refers to an order of existence that's distinct from anything that one would call physical, if mind can't be reduced to brain functioning, then it becomes necessary to accept the existence of something that physicalism denies. Even apart from parapsychology, however, it's possible to show how weak physicalism is in dealing with mind & with mentation. Most of the arguments are rather complex. Perhaps the simplest is the argument from the existence of consciousness.

The mere existence of consciousness shows that mind & brain functioning are distinct. The brain performs many tasks that we have no awareness of, which shows that consciousness isn't essential for at least some brain functions. Is consciousness essential for any brain functioning? It would seem not, since the "circuitry" employed by the brain in all of its functions is essentially the same, whether or not consciousness accompanies that functioning. So it would seem either, that all brain functioning should be accompanied by consciousness (which doesn't happen), or that no brain functioning should be accompanied by consciousness. But in fact, there are no good reasons for why consciousness should accompany any brain functioning, since it makes no sense for the brain to produce this whole range of conscious experience when it should be able to carry out its tasks directly, without all the paraphernalia that we call "mind", the way a computer or some other machine carries out its tasks without needing consciousness. But if some brain functioning doesn't require consciousness, & the material components of all brain functioning are the same as those involved in the functions that aren't conscious, then it would seem that consciousness belongs to something other than the brain & its functions, & this something else is what we call mind. Consciousness is one of the attributes of mind, but not an attribute of brain, indicating that mind & brain are different, & that mind can't be reduced to brain or to brain functioning. The logical consequence of this view is that everything that we call mental ~ perception, memory, thought, emotion ~ isn't brain-based.

A caution: insofar as we are creatures that must function in a physical world, we as minds will be dependent upon the brain. But if it ever happens that we exist also in some world other than this physical world, then we as minds will exist & function apart from any brains. For example, if we survive death, then we would exist apart from any brain. & insofar as we are minds, then we would have all the abilities that come with being minds, such as thought, perception, & memory, even though we would be existing apart from any brain.

Answer 2

If one was better than the other, you wouldn't need to ask the question. The whole point is neither is 'better'. Some things work better for some people more so than others depending on their situation. No one can tell you which is better especially for you. What you should be seeking is a healthy balance between the two in your own life. A balance that works well for you.

Answer 3

It is a fact that material things are temporary! Nothing here can last forever. We came with nothing and we shall leave with nothing more. Spirit is the connection to what has always existed and will always exist. Attachment here leads to all the pains and miseries of lack, separation, and loss!

Answer 4

One can not exist without the other.
They are both one of the same.

Because your predominantly Material, you may choose to believe spiritual to be the better of the two. Question being, is are you predominantly material? The answer is contradictory, in that you are too, a composite of both.

E-mail me, i will elaborate.