[12amps]

What is the one true unified underlying reality of totality of all existence? And Why? How does it work? What, if any is the motivating force behind the scenes of all of this?

What is the natural of ‘self’, and where is the true origin and source of ‘self’? Is there even a ‘self’ at all!? And if yes, are there any distinctions between the ‘self of self’ and the ‘self of others’?

What is the difference between reality and illusion? Is ‘illusion’ encompassed by, and a part of the larger underlying theme we call reality? What if what we think we know as reality is but a larger illusion? Can we by definition know more than the sum of all our aggregate ‘inputs’? Where do we start, what is the first final a priori assumption? Is there a true initial starting point axiom in which we can base everything else from? I think, therefore I am. But how does one know one actually ‘thinks’? Is it safe to say that anything that is done can only be done through the means and inputs that are already in existence? So it is through this ‘input’ that ‘I’ am taught to believe there are distinctions, is it not? And again, through this ‘input’ that ‘I’ believe that from this distinction there is magical things called perception, and reality, self and others, internal and external. And so I believe that through my perception I encounter a model of reality, and it is in this actual reality that my perception can exists.

1) If I am to assume that there are no silly distinctions and all is one, then everything simply just is. I have reached the bottom, the base case, the initial and the final. Perhaps in this case I realize that I am asking question so I can entertain myself with an endless hide and seek of losing and finding myself again through eternity?

2) If I am to assume that there are in fact these distinctions such as perception and reality, mentality and physicality, then I can either further assume that physical reality is an elaborate illusion that exists solely in mentality, OR I can assume that consciousness, and ‘qualia’ are an epiphenomenon of the physical universe and its existence dependent on an external reality OUT THERE. If I were to go with the latter assumption, then I must rightfully concede that I can never exceed the realm of perception and mentality. Everything I see and touch and smell is but a model and sub-reality and not the genuine thing that is out there somewhere beyond my capacity. So again I ask, Can we by definition know more than the sum of all our aggregate ‘inputs’? Doesn’t this second assumption, the assumption that ‘qualia’ is an epiphenomenon of the physical universe, simply become reduced to the former assumption that physical reality is an elaborate illusion that exists solely in mentality? In this case, isn’t mentality really all there is?

So between #1 and #2, which is the greater assumption? The first would solve all problems by stating ‘all is one’ and there are no problems, and indeed this thread of mine is a post of ignorance and illusion. The second assumption eventually reduces itself to be very much similar to the first. If ‘mentality’ is all there is, then the definition of ‘mentality’ becomes absurd and redundant. Without a ‘physical’ existence to contrast something ‘other than physical’, the word ‘mental’ ceases to have any meaning and its connotation becomes invalid. SO in essence, #2 reduces back into #1!!

So this, ‘stuff’, this ‘just is’ has been ‘just – is-ing’ for how long? It just is. Why is there a ‘totality of all existence’ at all in the first place instead of an ‘other –than –existence-nothinglessness’? It just is. And why is it just is? It just is. Does think really actually answer anything? Why is the illusion of self not satisfied with the simplest answer in the universe?

And what is the essence of self? Can the ‘self’ truly be said to be anything other than consciousness, awareness, and perception itself? What if the underlying fabric of existence is not the space-time continuum but awareness and consciousness? What if the universe was dreamed into existence, and we are in collective denial, and in actuality our lives are but a dream within a dream, and our dreams at night a sub-dream of that! Maybe the nightmare that we call Peak Oil simply needs more ‘prayers of awareness’ awareness in its pure sense, so we can awaken, awaken in the pure sense, from this dream of dreams!

What defines a perfection? How does one capture the essence of a perfect moment and relive it forever? Is there such a thing as true love, true self, true beauty and truth?

Every life is meant to be a love affair with the Infinite

Is everything really okay?

Why is it always easier to ask question than to answer it?

-------------


Can Matter be Explained in Terms

Qualia

Self-Awareness

Awareness Is Not What You Think

[RonMN]

I Think...Therefor I Am.

This is the only thing we can positively absolutely know for certain.

[RonMN]

I don't know if this will help...but I was troubled by this very idea as a young child. And as a young child i had no possible ways of verbalizing it to anybody (my vocabulary skills just weren't up to the task).

I finally came to the conclusion that if reality is meerly an illusion, I wasn't suppose to know about it, because i MUST be here (in this realm of existance) for a reason.

As an adult, i never revisited the question...until now.

[Ludi]

Eventually I stopped fretting about all this stuff.

[Aimrehtopyh]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godel

Godels Theorem: All consistent axiomatic formulations of number theory include undecidable propositions...

Basically to me it means that no formal system (i.e. law, language, mathematics, the physical universe) can be consistently defined using symbols and rules that exist within that system.

This is the first solid scientific pronouncement I ever read that led me to think that there might be something real behind the whole idea of spirituality.

Your use of the term 'mental' is a little loaded. It seems to me that you are assuming that your mental processes MUST be fully contained by a material four-dimensional framework. Have you ever considered that consciousness might actually spring from a framework beyond basic electrochemistry?

The Quantum Consciousness paper:
http://www.quantumconsciousness.org/pen ... rchOR.html

[JPL]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('12amps', 'W')hat is the one true unified underlying reality of totality of all existence? And Why? How does it work? What, if any is the motivating force behind the scenes of all of this?

What is the natural of ‘self’, and where is the true origin and source of ‘self’? Is there even a ‘self’ at all!? And if yes, are there any distinctions between the ‘self of self’ and the ‘self of others’?

What is the difference between reality and illusion? Is ‘illusion’ encompassed by, and a part of the larger underlying theme we call reality? What if what we think we know as reality is but a larger illusion? Can we by definition know more than the sum of all our aggregate ‘inputs’? Where do we start, what is the first final a priori assumption? Is there a true initial starting point axiom in which we can base everything else from? I think, therefore I am. But how does one know one actually ‘thinks’? Is it safe to say that anything that is done can only be done through the means and inputs that are already in existence? So it is through this ‘input’ that ‘I’ am taught to believe there are distinctions, is it not? And again, through this ‘input’ that ‘I’ believe that from this distinction there is magical things called perception, and reality, self and others, internal and external. And so I believe that through my perception I encounter a model of reality, and it is in this actual reality that my perception can exists.

1) If I am to assume that there are no silly distinctions and all is one, then everything simply just is. I have reached the bottom, the base case, the initial and the final. Perhaps in this case I realize that I am asking question so I can entertain myself with an endless hide and seek of losing and finding myself again through eternity?

2) If I am to assume that there are in fact these distinctions such as perception and reality, mentality and physicality, then I can either further assume that physical reality is an elaborate illusion that exists solely in mentality, OR I can assume that consciousness, and ‘qualia’ are an epiphenomenon of the physical universe and its existence dependent on an external reality OUT THERE. If I were to go with the latter assumption, then I must rightfully concede that I can never exceed the realm of perception and mentality. Everything I see and touch and smell is but a model and sub-reality and not the genuine thing that is out there somewhere beyond my capacity. So again I ask, Can we by definition know more than the sum of all our aggregate ‘inputs’? Doesn’t this second assumption, the assumption that ‘qualia’ is an epiphenomenon of the physical universe, simply become reduced to the former assumption that physical reality is an elaborate illusion that exists solely in mentality? In this case, isn’t mentality really all there is?

So between #1 and #2, which is the greater assumption? The first would solve all problems by stating ‘all is one’ and there are no problems, and indeed this thread of mine is a post of ignorance and illusion. The second assumption eventually reduces itself to be very much similar to the first. If ‘mentality’ is all there is, then the definition of ‘mentality’ becomes absurd and redundant. Without a ‘physical’ existence to contrast something ‘other than physical’, the word ‘mental’ ceases to have any meaning and its connotation becomes invalid. SO in essence, #2 reduces back into #1!!

So this, ‘stuff’, this ‘just is’ has been ‘just – is-ing’ for how long? It just is. Why is there a ‘totality of all existence’ at all in the first place instead of an ‘other –than –existence-nothinglessness’? It just is. And why is it just is? It just is. Does think really actually answer anything? Why is the illusion of self not satisfied with the simplest answer in the universe?

And what is the essence of self? Can the ‘self’ truly be said to be anything other than consciousness, awareness, and perception itself? What if the underlying fabric of existence is not the space-time continuum but awareness and consciousness? What if the universe was dreamed into existence, and we are in collective denial, and in actuality our lives are but a dream within a dream, and our dreams at night a sub-dream of that! Maybe the nightmare that we call Peak Oil simply needs more ‘prayers of awareness’ awareness in its pure sense, so we can awaken, awaken in the pure sense, from this dream of dreams!

What defines a perfection? How does one capture the essence of a perfect moment and relive it forever? Is there such a thing as true love, true self, true beauty and truth?

Every life is meant to be a love affair with the Infinite

Is everything really okay?

Why is it always easier to ask question than to answer it?

-------------


Can Matter be Explained in Terms

Qualia

Self-Awareness

Awareness Is Not What You Think