--- In [email protected], "wayback71" <wayback71@...> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "Xenophaneros Anartaxius" <anartaxius@> > wrote: <snip> > > The path of enlightenment that each comes to think of when > > embarking on a spiritual path usually begins with a > > metaphysical explanation of some sort rather than a physical > > one. Bridging the gap between these two modes of thought and > > our 'container' of consciousness (the great seemingly non- > > physical mystery of existence); this seems to be the sought > > after goal, but somehow, in the mode of thought, one or the > > other of these intellectual paradigm categories wins out for > > most people, and an endless straw argument ensues between > > the metaphysical concepts (and between different metaphysical > > concepts), and the physical concepts (there are different > > physical concepts but they usually get sorted out by > > scientific experiment). > > Response:Yes, one of these paradigms does seem to win out - > and I continue to hope that one paradigm does not have to > preclude the other. Our generation is the first to have > had these very real metaphysical experiences and then years > later found that science is able to point to the brain and > say "this caused that seemingly metaphysical experience." > Frankly, it is hard to take, even if totally fascinating.
Let's not forget that for all science has discovered about the brain, it hasn't yet begun to solve the "hard problem" of the nature of consciousness itself. There are lots of theories but no consensus, not even on a definition of consciousness. As long as that most fundamental of all issues remains a mystery, I don't think science is in a position to claim to have trumped metaphysics. <snip> > Response:This whole intersection of science and metaphysics > is so interesting. Basically, we are finding that the > experiences (unboundedness, universal love, witnessing) are > only in the head and no matter how real it seems, it is not > what it seems. But bear in mind this is true of science as well: It's only in the head. Everything we think we know is all in the head. We cannot know whether there is anything other than "what it seems." > Personally, while I am fascinated by the science I feel > a bit robbed of the mystery and hope and reassurance of > a cosmic plan if science and the brain is all there is. We're nowhere near having decided that.
