Atheists and proof cont….

[Kdtym10]

A carry on from the previous thread

our imagination is amazing!

Isn't it fantastic, @Parker231 💓 We're all so amazing!

We don't, but going on Occam's Razor the assumption that it's brain activity is a better and more plausible answer than 'It's God'.

It's not necessarily either or. In terms of my own Christian beliefs I believe the spiritual can manifest physically (neurons and electricity). Spiritual source, physical manifestation.

Exactly.

One of the reasons why I actually dislike the term “atheist” is that linguistically it operates from an assumption that there is some sort of god, and that people who don’t believe are somehow rebelling against the original stance.

I get why humans, thousands of years ago, thought there must be something else out there that made the sun rise and people die. But now we know what makes the sun rise and people die. So there has never been a point in my life where I believed in the divine, but then decided not to. I just never did. It never made sense to me, the way science made sense.

Well exactly- science might be observing physical reactions to spiritual stimuli.

Pretty sure the myth of Occams Razor was exploded a long time ago.

But that’s the point. Science is of the senses spiritually isn’t.,

Ignoring how shit the video is, it (along with most other scientific theories of how the imagination works) are predicated on imagination being a synthesis of previously experience phenomena. In short it treats the human brain the same as AI. If this were true, AI would be far more creative than any human.

In my view human imagination goes far beyond what Coleridge called “fancy”.

Although it’s good to see science once again confirming what those who practice spirituality have always known, the importance of the imagination, Shame that even whilst “discovering” this millennia old knowledge they are still trying to measure and constrain it.

Wonder what the next “discovery” that is millennia old in spirituality science will make.

Yet another iteration of the new religion taking the ideas, stories of the old religion and demonising its gods. It’s quite funny really

Perhaps, but the principle of parsimony still applies, and Occam's razor is disputed, not exploded.

Bottom line is that we don't know, and it's a matter of (mostly) belief. Given how little we know about the workings of the brain, I'm going with neurons over Gods.

science might be observing physical reactions to spiritual stimuli.

Science is of the senses spiritually isn’t

This is just coming back to "everything is nothing", isn't it - or, if you prefer, everything is god's thoughts (emanations, spirit, etc). Reality isn't real. I can't see the point. Even if the entire universe, including ourselves, were some sort of VR game being played by a supreme intellect, what good would knowing that do? If I don't exist as an independent entity, doesn't that make me utterly helpless and thoroughly pointless?

Mind you, I don't know why I'm bothering to ask, seeing as 'the divine' is making me think these thoughts and type this post 😂

I disagree - it’s a great video explaining a scientific theory- our brains are very clever at learning and developing an imagination.

Like you say we know very little about the workings of the brain so we are really just in a position of picking a theory we connect with in our souls.

It’s terrible and is extremely limited in its definition of imagination. It gives the impression of fact where there is none.

It's interesting that there were no natural atheist cultures anywhere in our world. And remember that the ancient Greeks were quite sophisticated in studying and postulating theoria about the world. We have Epicurus who basically was an atheist but it never took off in a big way.
It seems to me humans evolved to have a spiritual life .

In short it treats the human brain the same as AI. If this were true, AI would be far more creative than any human. Nonsense, @Kdtym10. One day, AI will be more creative than humans. For now, it doesn't come close to the human brain - or the octopus brain(s).

predicated on imagination being a synthesis of previously experienced phenomena - Romanian orphans. They experienced nothing, learned nothing, thought nothing. They had all the mental equipment but none of the input that informs development.

People in comas have hallucination-like dreams based on current sensory input and previous experience. They're often very cold in bed (to promote brain healing). They dream of cold things they experienced before the coma: ice creams, wet clothes, frozen peas.

The Piraha tribe dont believe in God

Your opinion - these videos are a great introduction to scientific theories. Must check the others in the series.

If this were true, AI would be far more creative than any human.

AI may end up being far more creative than any human

At the moment the vast majority of what is being touted as AI is actually ML, with all the limitations of the training data its fed

There are rumours that various people have created a "real" AI so maybe we will see what its imagination is before long (or it will kill us as the biggest competitors for the resources it needs, who knows..)

Absolutely, if that’s the sort of thing that floats your boat, go for it, have fun with the cartoons

If I don't exist as an independent entity, doesn't that make me utterly helpless and thoroughly pointless?

@Garlicking

Don't get the VR analogy. But in answer to this question, I would ask 'Is your arm pointless?'. It's part of you, not independent (unless it malfunctions) but has definite purpose.

Mind you, I don't know why I'm bothering to ask, seeing as 'the divine' is making me think these thoughts and type this post 😂

According to my belief system your thoughts can originate out of your own inherited instincts or reactions to your own subconscious biases which result from the sum of your experiences. Or something other - either God or another spirit such as the current Zeitgeist.

Their aim through animation is to spark the curiosity of learners everywhere. Hugh numbers have watched their videos from students to educators. Worth watching to learn?

I watched it and way heavily distracted thinking how similar in style it was to some American evangelical videos they use to brain wash kids

I’m not even sure what point you’re trying to make!

Ooh gone down a rabbit hole of hilarious scientific cartoons. There seems quite a lot proving being transgender is in biology. Love this one