Edgar, I don't like the phrase 'cognitive simulation of reality' although it does describe what I'm talking about. It's just too wordy, too complicated. I want a plain word. I want a word that better fits into zen which is very simple and not complicated. 'Illusion' is of course still the best for me but it as I've said seems to be uncomfortable for many others. I guess they think if they have 'illusions' they're dumb, but if they think they have 'cognitive simulations' they're smart (or at least not so dumb). It all seems like 'po-TAY-toe, po-TAH-toe' to me.
I like the 'model' term, but have now rejected 'logical' and 'rational' model because the thing-a-ma-bob we're talking about is not entirely logical or rational. I'm hovering around 'mental model' but the alliteration and the sing-song effect of both words having 2 syllables is a little uncomfortable. I think I will use it for a while and see how it feels. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote: > > Bill, > > I use the term cognitive simulation of reality for how people model reality > in their heads. Every organism operates in reality in terms of and on the > basis of its own internal model of reality. > > Functionally it's like a robot which operates on the basis of its own > computational model of its environment. > > > When you understand how that works it becomes clear that "The reality, the > world, that you think you live in is actually entirely in your head." > > Only problem is your head is not entirely in YOUR head. > > Experience is primary, and antecedent to all discrimination... > > However experience manifests consistency, and from that all else follows.... > > This is fairly easy to understand when speaking of OTHER organisms. It's just > basic biology. However then when one tries to understand it from the inside > of your own head the understanding becomes much more subtle... > > Edgar > > > > On Sep 9, 2012, at 4:59 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > To Anyone Who Cares, > > > > After much reflection and a good round of my thrice-weekly, > > regularly-scheduled 18-hole kinhin I've decided to quit using the term > > 'illusion'. It is the term I was personally taught and have seen written in > > countless books on zen and that I myself have used for over 40 years, but > > it seems to conjure up some kind of bad mojo for most of you. I get the > > feeling that you think if your are creating 'illusions' that you're doing > > something wrong or bad, and that's is definitely not what I want to project. > > > > So...I'm now going to use the term 'model' or 'logical model' or maybe > > 'rational model' (I haven't decided which yet). I'm looking for something > > that will more palatable to the majority here that seem to have a bad > > reaction to the term 'illusion'. > > > > But the meaning I intend to communicate will still be the same...Bill! > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
