Understanding Higher Consciousness or Why My Brain Hurts
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I like to think of myself as a student of higher consciousness, but when asked to expound on what it all means, I’ve found that it’s not that easy to explain in everyday terms. Even plain old consciousness is tricky to understand. I’ve heard it defined as “that annoying time between naps”, but that kind of response would compromise my credibility; most certainly my highly sophisticated sense of awareness.
Using colloquial verbiage, I’d attempt to define consciousness as the act of focusing one's mind - and higher consciousness as a mental awareness that accepts a higher level of evolutionary development; perhaps a state where one can gain more control over their mind - where thoughts and perceptions are improved, refined and enhanced.
Someone once said that through higher consciousness, a greater awareness of reality is achieved, but even that sounds too esoteric. All this ruminating makes my brain hurt, especially when I think about what is real and what is perceived to be real.
Is Reality an Illusion?
Reality is only an illusion,
albeit a very persistent one.
—Albert Einstein
Comfortable concepts like Time, Space and Mass are getting more and more complicated and more difficult to explain in simple terms. As if the theory of relatively wasn’t hard enough, Einstein even proposed that measuring Time, Space and Mass didn’t necessarily provide the observer with a comfortable, constant result. It all depended on the actions of observer. It seems, this “observer” is a key player in the theater of Quantum Physics.
What I have observed is that theories of Quantum Physics offer the beginnings of a happy merger between science and metaphysics. That’s why brilliant quantum physicists like Robert Lanza (the father of Biocentrism) and spiritual teacher and physician Deepak Chopra have collaborated on many accounts and are in agreement when it comes to discussions of higher consciousness.
World-renowned quantum physicist, Dr. John Hagelin, attempts to explain the meaning of consciousness in this video. If you need more food for thought on the “mathematical tour de force” that is the unified field of consciousness, just watch it. But be forewarned, it may make your brain hurt.
Getting back to Reality…
Although mentally challenging the puzzling concepts of Reality can be quite exciting.
Do I see the color green the way you see the color green? I think I do, but I can’t prove it because like all deep theories of Quantum Mechanics, we’ve yet to come up with the equipment for measuring it. So, what is the “real” green and how can we prove it? Does it matter? What about perception? That’s subjective too. What I perceive as being hot and humid is quite comfortable for a frog. What I perceive as being a meaningful coincidence is perceived as being meaningless rubbish to someone else – most likely someone who does not aspire to Higher Consciousness.
There are philosophers, spiritual leaders and even some physicists who have suggested that nothing is real. Everything is just an illusion. Everything we see and touch may in fact be a hologram projected by some great collective consciousness.
I like that theory because it offers a simple colloquial explanation of why it’s possible to create our own reality and why we are all connected. It can hypothetically answer a lot of other spiritual questions as well.
Some scientists don’t like it. Perhaps it makes their brain hurt. They’re happy remaining within the comfort zone of “if you can measure it and do physics with it, fine”; to hell with all this “real versus illusion” nonsense.
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Math, Reality and Intuition
I was never very good in math. Maybe that’s why I’m overwhelmed by today’s scientific theories. Physics has become too mathematical for my liking. I’m more comfortable using my intuition when it comes to figuring out what’s really real and what’s just an illusion.
If, through these esoteric means, I can achieve greater control of my own mind and its untapped power to create positive events in my life (and I have), then I’m with the scientist that says, “To hell with all this real versus illusion nonsense”. If it works, why worry about “how” it works. Just do it, enjoy it and promote it as simply as you can. Sometimes a little creative thinking is worth a blackboard full of equations.
© Copyright Green Lotus, 2011. All rights reserved.
Here are just few of my articles that painlessly promote the simplicity of achieving higher consciousness, happiness and the manifestation your wildest dreams.
- How to Overcome Overwhelming Responsibilities
Sometimes life throws us a curve ball and we find ourselves unwittingly faced with more responsibility than we would care to manage. It may be a family responsibility, it may be work related, it may be... - Manifesting Your Wildest Dreams
If you can clean out your mental file cabinet every once in a while, youll open yourself up to the unknown and subsequently, to the manifestation your wildest dreams. Creative visualization is the key - Epicurus The Happy Philosopher
Few philosophers have presented the world with a better answer to how to be happy than the Greek philosopher Epicurus. He believed everyone could be happy, its just that we were pointed in the wrong direction. - Affirmations: Making Them Work!
Youve read all the blogs and books and Hubs on creating your own perfect universe; how to be healthy, wealthy and wise by simply by thinking about it. So why the bleep isnt it working already? - How To Think Positively Without Expectation
One of the toughest things about keeping a positive mindset is that the same spiritual teachers who tell us to keep visualizing, also tell us to devoid ourselves of expectation. In other words, we should believe that our worthiest thoughts are going
There's nothing in it I dislike. So much of it is what I've instinctively thought for so many years with a mere smattering of background for it.
The only thing is, ultimately, while we may be part of everything in some manner & everything part of us, just manifesting itself in different ways, still - "oneself", a personal manifestation of all that can't really be known, - much like we can't measure subjective experiences of "green", as you point out - just won't be known to us in this manifestation - not clearly. The moment we might even approach seeing it clearly, in fact - we and it would vanish - because in a sense it is all illusion. Hologram may be too "material" to apply, in fact. But we so want someTHING to cling to!
But it's ok. Does it matter? - Sure - but it doesn't matter whether or not we fully or even partially "get it". The "reality" of OUR human awareness - or experience of consciousness is that ours is partial and partial of what? But that's what it IS, if "isness" exists. What "it" IS is all it is even if only an illusion.
The fun part is that we can know that and still go about our days buying cabbages, fishing, seeing things differently than everyone else, adamantly considering rubbish what another considers profound or vice versa. It's nothing to get bent out of shape over! haha Because in this it both does and does not matter.
Sounds like circular talk? Sure, it is. It's the only way we have of touching upon it if we somehow sense it, whether we're quantum physicists, mediums, housewives or small children. Nothing wrong with it and nothing right about it either.
What IS is - and it's fun to contemplate and fly with. Thanks for a very fun and informative article, GL! I must read the others!
fantastic great hub read makes you think learn thanks
My brain hurts too... Another thought-provoking hub G.L.
Consciousness is a good thing to have, I think. It's comforting to have something that at least 'seems' real enough. Something that can create a familiar sensation in any of your physical senses.
I think of a higher consciousness as a form of dreaming, where you can either make up your own altered version of reality, or to solve problems that your conscious world interferes with, or allow your mind to drift and be taken away by some unknown, mysterious force.
I often wonder why humans were given the power to imagine something other than what appears to exist to them in the 'real' world. Interesting.
I'm reading
Dear Sister...
It is indeed a titanic endeavor to fathom the infinity with our human brain. That´s why the way to attain a Higher connection is doing it at a soul-spirit level. Not at a human level. Interesting article, however, and it was worth reading it!
Thumbs up! Bookmarked and Stumbled!
Warmest regards and infinite heavenly blessings,
Al
Its not the thinking about it and intellectulizing that clarifies but the experiencing thru experimentation and stretching of your awareness and consciousness in your life that will delete the confusion.
The word consciousness means nothing, the experience means everything.
Namaste
Linda at UNIVERSAL LAWS
This is a great hub, in fact, I had this conversation with my partner last night; we talked about what is real, are we real, is our relationship real and the answer is that we don't know. I touch and feel a sensation, but that is an electrical signal to my brain to tell me, so it could be from anything. Yes, it made our brain hurt and we had to move on to more important matters...like cleaning up!
Great hub, great read and brimming with ideas.
Okay, now my brain hurts, but I greatly admire your ability to write about whatever this means. LOL Now I'll be pondering the imponderables again.
Hi there Arthur and thanks for being the first to comment. I'm glad you liked most of the stuff and you've given me something to ponder over with your subway guy analogy. The whole "observer" theory is a real mind bender.
I realize not everyone is a fan of Deepak, but I think he's brilliant at being perhaps the first communicator to successfully reach the masses with a colloquial explanation of quantum physics as it relates to the mind, health and beyond. He really did get everyone thinking!..like him or not. Chopra believes we can create our own reality so he'd be a failure if he was unable to create his own success. I also admire his humanitarian and philanthropic efforts. Cheers.
Hi Nellianna - So glad you agree. YOu've hit on some sound points. Whether we'll never really understand reality is iffy too. Never say never! :) Scientists like Hagelin say we're on the brink of understanding, and since knowledge grows exponentially, we may all become enlightened tomorrow! Here's to never getting bent out of shape over it:)
Hi thevoice! Good to see you here!! I greatly appreciate your kind words and glad to provide some more food for thought. Peace.
Hey Tim - You've said it..consciousness makes us comfortable with what we perceive as real. I do like your definition of higher consciousness. Everyone should have one. The mind is limitless and the imagination is probably more powerful than we can imagine right now. Great comment. Thanks.
Enlynda- Thank you!..hope you enjoyed the read.
Ah Mystique - The soul-spirit level is wonderful, mysterious and powerful. You don't have be religious to find it; just go within, go beyond your brain. Science has yet to find the soul (or consciousness for that matter) within the physical body. Blessings right back at ya, my friend. Thanks for the ratings too.
HI Linda - Terrific advice. I'm all for mind-stretching exercises!! Here's to the experience. Namaste.
Hello Zac - Much thanks for your kind words. Since this read came to you coincidentally, it must mean you're doing something right. Best to you and yours.
U neek - just caught your comment as I was posting this reply. Glad to make you smile. Happy pondering.
Very good Hub ! Thank you for putting this one up on Hub Pages. Nice job, but most of this is over my head . No pun intented.
Ron
As always also a2z50
I wonder what the persistent hologram of a frog looks like, GL! My own is confusing enough, thank you very much.
Off for a nap! :)
Brainstorming the brain can be a very brainy thing to do. That's why it's important to keep it active, by reading, puzzles, testing, listening. My brainwaves at times end up in the dumpster and I go what some call brain dead. It's only when I give it a 24 hr rest that I find it kicks starts itself again. The brain is a wonderful electrical circuit board, without it we would all be shorted out. Does any of this make any sense or is this just my brain working overtime or the magic mushrooms I'm on. hah.
An intriguing and wonderful topic. I first explored higher consciousness many years ago when I read Ken Keyes, "Handbook to Higher Consciousness." This was my very first introduction.
It has always been an intriguing subject to me. I thoroughly enjoyed this hub. You did a great job in your exploration and research.
Sage
Why do we search for answers concerning reality vs. illusion? Why are we (humans) always trying to understand that which may be impossible to know?
I think the answer to that lies in this quote from Benjamin Franklin: Who is wise? He that learns from everyone. Who is powerful? He that governs his passions. Who is rich? He who is content. Who is that? Nobody."
We search for more knowledge in order to be more content. A very enlightening hub, GL, but then I can't be sure that it or you or I are really real.
I love reading your hubs. I like listening to and reading Chopra and tend to agree with the concept of life being an illusion. I was watching something recently talking about the location of the brain where perception takes place, somewhere at the back of the brain. we all perceive life and what it is differently. but all life is life. here's one for you. thinking about a tree. what is a tree? a tree is not really a tree. it's something we call a tree, it is named a tree... I think humans think far too much!
the whole observer teaching is fascinating to me. not so much observing others, but becoming our own observer, being more aware of what we are doing and thinking by 'stepping back' and becoming the observer. most people can't do it because we're so caught up in the scattered ramblings of our minds!! nice article. If I can find it, I'll send you something I wrote once about consciousness. thanks for sharing. I have it bookmarked to come back and watch the video. :)
Thanks, GL for reminding us of the many interesting and mesmerizing puzzlements about our existence and our relation to each other and the universe. Good hub.
Hi rprcarz -Much thanks and very punny!
LOL lorlie!! You're most welcome. I see you grasped everything with complete understanding:) I would expect no less of you.
Hey saddlerider..You make great sense. Interesting you should mention getting "shorted out". That's so true especially when one doesn't get enough ZZZZZ's. I'm actually going through one of those episodes right now. Keep on brainstorming.
Hi Sage - Yes, I read Ken Keyes long ago too and recently revisited his theory of the hundredth monkey. What a pioneer in higher consciousness and a great teacher. Thanks for commenting. Glad to see you here as always.
Hi drbj - I love that Ben Franklin quote. Thanks for posting it here and for your kind words. Stay real, girlfriend.
Hello rebekah! Good to see you too and I'm so glad you enjoyed the read. We agree on so many things and I'm glad you expounded on the issue of "stepping back" to observe. Although the physicists have a different "observation" on the subject it's great advice to look at ourselves from afar without judgment to gain a new self-awareness. Thanks!
HI alek - Good to see you again here and on HP. Glad my musings invoked some mesmerizing !
Hey, that's my photo at the top!! (me on a particularly reflective day whilst wearing underpants on my head)
It sends my brain round in knots thinking about these things and it's already knotted enough - but the scientist should be considering it whereas I fear they're just happy to stay firmly in the comfort zone. I've probably harped on about this before, but I stick to Eastern philosophy for my answers every time. It leaves me knot-free, (and you only have to take one bottle into the shower - hmmm, no maybe not)
Hiya, I love quantum physics, it absolutely fascinates me. I have read before about the 'imagined' world, and the fact that we are all joined, mentally or quantum mentally. This was written really well, because it explains it in a way that we all can understand. My first reaction when I was watching the video, was that people have always said, science and religion are miles apart. I have always said it is the same thing. One believes completely, and the other has to go to a lab to prove it! looks like we are getting there. Thanks for this it was great. rated up Nell
I like your article and it reminded me of a book I was reading not too long ago about our brain.In a book it stated that with most people, 90% of the brain's capacity has been closed down due to neurotic repression, the remaining 10% is apt to fall into robotic state. It states that the unused 90% is susceptible to hypnotic influences and the individual is driven by his environment and circumstances. Most of us need a program of reawakening. We do too much out of habit... My, what a waste..right?
Thanks for sharing your information.
I found the video fascinating -- I mean the first video (the one with Dr. John Hagelin). It is interesting how he links the concept of nueroscience, quantum mechanics, and string theory together. It is good to stretch the brain on topics that are out of the ordinary. And quantum mechanics and string theory certainly does that. I hardly read science fiction anymore, because I find that reading science fact can be just as intriguing and stranger than fiction.
This article is very good and really gives you a lot to think about. The topic is fascinating and I'll be reading this again to make sure I really understand all you were saying. I always trust my instincts to make decisions. Usually things work out when I do that. Excellent hub!
Why apricot. I just can't see in a mustache, maybe a pair of head knickers, but not a mustache. Eastern philosophy is keenly quantum if you break it down. That's why I like it too. Great stuff.
Hi Nell, thanks so much for saying that the article makes things easier to understand. I guess it makes an attempt in my own roundabout way :) Glad you enjoyed the video too. Somehow I "get it" if I don't over-analyze it. I appreciate the rating!
Ictodd - Thanks for commenting...That's hysterical actually..."90% of the brain's capacity has been closed down due to neurotic repression"! I can relate. What's that book? Sounds like a worthwhile read.
Hi Peaceful - I feel the same way about science fiction books - happier reading the facts (or deepak:) Hagelin is quite a guy, but if you're ready for more and have an hour or so, check out his website at http://hagelin.org/index.html and his take on Invincible Defense Technology. Brilliant stuff.
Good to see you Pam! I agree, trust your gut and your instincts and they'll lead you in the right direction. We don't really need a manual. So glad you like the article.
GL, do we have to understand it to attain it? We all have consciousness, it's the essence of being. What happens when a person is unconscious... they stopped being! Higher consciousness is using the energy and potential of the universe to find our true self. Getting to a higher level requires us to remove the barriers of beliefs, fears, doubts and perceptions, so we can realize our own potential and purpose. We flow with the energy instead of fighting it, becoming content with who or what we are.
I like your thinking Jai. Going with the flow and living with contentment is an important part of the process. Reaching a state of higher consciousness may take some serious TM. I just watched another of Hagelin's videos on the "unified field"of consciousness that gets into that. It's all so fascinating and actually is becoming clearer as I read all the responses. Thanks for commenting!
Good hub, and hooked to the science of Noetics.
Thanks Paradise..yes! It's all under Noetics. I'm also fascinated by what's being done by the Institute of Noetic Sciences.
I think that's it's so difficult for people to really deal with, because we're generally too impatient. It's something on a wider scale that the immediate... and the results are found in parts of ourselves which we're usually not aware of noticing at all, let alone noticing changing... it's within, not without, and so something which language itself really barely manages to adequately touch outside of doctrinal teachings and scientific theories.
Those who do think they understand, unfortunately seem to understand on basis of what they have been told, not what they have themselves experienced.
For me, what I've read, and what I've experienced, makes me so fascinated that I know that I would be engaged more than ever before if I lived a life of retreat or in a monastery.
Welcome to HP and thanks for commenting Tchardo. I agree that it is all fascinating and that language barely manages to explain most theories; however, higher consciousness in action has been seen and felt by many, particularly in the form of Transcendental Meditation and the realization of visualized desires. Fine tuning those modalities do require patience.
Green Lotus- You lost me with the "math." It made my brain hurt............. but you got me back with the "creative thinking." I won't need an Advil after all!
Beautifully done.............. as always! Thank you..........
Kaie
Oh My, Green Lotus - My husband is from the Krishnamurti school of "the observer is the observed". He goes into this at great length. I have a hard time keeping up. His Ph.D. is in Philosophy. I think it makes MY brain hurt because I am trying so hard to understand it and think too hard about it.
I believe that the higher conciousness is where all the information we could ever know is stored and in bits and pieces we can tap into it. I certainly find that the more I meditate the more I "just know". I am picking up something when I shut down the chatter of my concious mind and let my subconcious or higher conciousness in.
In any case, I believe in the theory that we can and do create our universe. Ever since I was a child I did creative visualization. I did it ALL THE TIME, just because I loved it so much. I had no idea what it was. But as I got older I kept saying "I always get what I want, I am so lucky". I had no idea I was creating what I wanted until my late 30's. There is something in us that is working with something "out there". Great Hub!!! Loved it!
Thinking about this kind of concept really makes brains hurt, but you expressed it pretty well and in a simple way. I've always wondered how a cat, a bat or even a dog see the world. I guess there is a lot that we don't "see" because we can't perceive. And the problem is that technology can measure mostly what we can perceive so it's difficult to expand our consciousness.
Rated, stumbled and shared with my followers. :)
Fantastic hub and I love the title you've chosen :) We are extremely limited by our perceptive equipment, but at the same time I believe we can go beyond it. I get flashes of imspiration all the time and they literally pop out of nowhere - it's not a brain thing, it's like a zap from the universe. (I've been told that as an Aquarian this is normal, lol). All I can say is that there is much more going on than we realise or can explain in words, which quantum physics shows perfectly. I love this universe and the quest to understand it and everything inside!
I believe there is a higher consciousness. Great thought provoking hub.
Thank you for the rating hypno. Perception is a tricky thing. There's lots of interesting stuff on why science is skeptical when it comes to proving something you can't measure or see. That kind of thinking has always slowed down scientific progression. Ironic.
Susana - Hello and much thanks for all your praise. I love that you mention that "zap from the universe"; ideas that just seemingly come into your head. LOL I know at least two other Aquarians who experience that A LOT. Cheers.
Hi Sandyspider. Glad to inspired deeper thoughts. I'm exploring more of Hagelins videos which, I've found to be most inspiring and relatively east to fathom.
Hi Kaie - LOL funny comment! I choose meditation over Advil anyday!
Hello Moonchild - I seems you've had a head start on most of us. It wasn't until I was introduced to Shakti Gawain and Creative Visualization that I "got it". I really recommed Hagelin's site for some mind-blowing videos. He works in alongside David Lynch and his TM foundation. Thanks for commenting!
Yes, TM is great.
More than anything, the entire concept of higher consciousness brings me hope for humanity's future. No matter what the future holds, us progressing as an international community toward being closer to our higher selves is progress toward what is perhaps the most universally acceptable point to all of this!
Why my brain hurts is just because the lifestyle I seem forced to live by is at odds with it, and everything in western society is so effective at forcing the big circular me into a smaller square hole of materialism and delusions formed by the many.
By realization of visualized desires... do you mean Positive Attention?
Excellent Hub and points, the minds create the equations rather than the equations creating the minds.
Thank you ConsciousObserver for your interesting comment and welcome to HP. I do like your moniker.
This Hub is quite interesting. I enjoyed it. Thank you.
You are always welcome James. Thanks for stopping by for the read and for the nice comment :))
If consciousness is the act of focussing one’s mind and if higher censoriousness is a mental awareness that accepts a higher level of evolutionary development, then the De Greeks are fossils. What we laughingly call our mind does not always work on all cylinders and when we try to force it to work we end up with splitting headaches.
As to figuring out what is real and what is an illusion either through mathematics or through intuition, since we do not posses either, we have another method: if it hurts, it’s real. You can use any amount of mathematics (or intuition) to convince me otherwise, but your efforts shall fall on deaf ears, as we shall be busy screaming in agony and will be unable to give you our undivided attention.:D
I loved the hub from the first word to the last. I so agree with you that physics as we know it has become too mathematical - math as we know it! Maybe the whole problem lies in the fact that we use finite means to measure the infinite. Maybe some things don't need to be measured, just experienced!
Well well, DG. You have expressed yourself so eloquently and so clearly I must say you have negated your claim. I always relish the opportunity of learning more about the great De Greeks each day, so I thank you for your comment nonetheless. Now take two aspirin and call me in the morning.
Shalini - What a great comment from a like-minded friend. Thanks so much for the kudos. I was so lame in math (still am) that I was forced to rely on intuition, art and experience. Here's to all three.
What? No soothing hand on the forehead? No moist towel at the back of the neck? No tender words of affection to see us through teh agone? I feel used! Cast asside! Ignored! :-))))
Great hub - now I know why my brain hurts... attaining a higher consciousness and then awareness are life long goals you mind us of the path.
Thanks billy! I appreciate the comment. Working on it can give one a headache :)!
Another great hub , does make my head hurt but in a good way. I agree with your first commentor, it seems to be the new way to make money for some ! as long as there are people like you to unravel it all for us!
Thank you RWA! Trying to unravel life's mysteries is a fun project. I am; however, a big fan of Deepak Chopra (even if he does make good money as an author). He's a master unraveller.
Thanks for a great and intersing Hub. Must say I tend to agree with Arthur also. There is a tendency to use abstract ideas to fool people (not saying you do!) and separate them from their hard earned shekels. That said, I think there is much we don't, and perhaps can't, know. As Hamlet said, "there are more things..." Also have a sneaking regard for Deepak!
Also you sent me off in another direction about the Flammarion woodcut - just had to look that up and now I've taken a whole lot of time up with reading about that interesting piece of cultural history! Thanks.
Love and peace
Tony
What a great comment Tony. Thanks for the thanks! So glad to be a source of inspiration. Cheers!
Fascinating Hub Green Lotus
One of life's great puzzles even the Gumbies have no answer :-)
Hello Shinkicker. Thanks. Nice to meet you and glad you enjoyed the read.
Absolutely, this is not an easy topic to explain. I always ask to be spoke to as if I am seven. That helps just a bit. I actually do take students on a walk around a circle or labrynth to introduce the fact that we are all a part of a metaphysical cycle. Again, speak to me as if I am seven. You are doing good work.
Shealy
Shealy- I fully understand! I like the walk technique too! Thank you.
On the possibility that people perceive colors differently from one another. Here's my theory:
You know that feeling when you walk into your house, the comfortable, familiar feeling? You've done it a thousand times, and you have created a personal response, a certain vibe associated with the comforts of home. Now if you were to look through the eyes of a sibling, they would have their own visceral response to the same house. It looks the same, but there's a certain feeling or vibe about it that would be different. You would probably find yourself asking, so this is how you've been seeing our house all this time! I think that's the same with any perception. Perception is personal, we all have individual hearts and minds and personalities that aid in identifying things for us. The way we see the color green could be different then somebody else in a sense. It has the same cool vibrant properties, but if you were to see it through someone else's eyes it would be less familiar. You'd be able to distinguish between colors, but the feeling would be different. In terms of colors looking radically different, no. Physics and evolution of the human eye wouldn't allow that, but free thinking tweaks perception creating these visceral nuances about the same subject.
Clayton - nice to meet you and thank you for adding some very astute perceptions to this thread!
I used to believe that an observer plays an important role in manipulating the reality but not 'too' anymore. How quantum particles decide has nothing to do with the observer at least in our reality.
When a particle (whether of photon of light or an electron) interacts with other stuff it is no longer spread out but collapses down to a point particle. This is what we are told of the wave-particle duality of matter.
Now what surprise us is that the collapse to a particle, however, is not dependent on any observer, but just interaction with other stuff. No observer is necessary.
When a photon from the sun strikes the earth and its energy is absorbed by a leaf on a tree in the middle of the jungle, it collapses to a particle. The same is true when it strikes a dead rocky asteroid out in space. Consciousness, and even life, is not necessary.
Note that I am not completely deducting the possibility of how an observer influence the surrounding, just that there is much more that we haven't known yet.
KenWu - What an interesting theory. Nothing seems to be constant, which is good, challenging and always mind-boggling. Thanks for the visit! Cheers.
Thanks for shedding some light on the mysterious subject that I have had questions about for as long as I can remember. Great Hub. Voted ^ & Awesome
gjfalcone- Thanks for commenting on one of my personal favorites. Life is mysterious but there's certainly no reason not to remain lighthearted about the whole thing :) Cheers. Thanks for the rating too!
Personally I think there is a substratum amongst all humans, that I call common sense. This is universal. The fact that a dweller in the Amazon and a Manhattan-ite in New York City both understand immediately, and intuitively what I mean by the statement 'is this stick longer than this stick?' and they don't have to learn it nor can they learn it. We are all born knowing the idea of 'length' or, for that matter, about a million other concepts and this fact connects us all and makes the question of reality a simple one. What is real is what I intuitively know to be true, and I don't have to learn it. I think Plato said the same thing, so I'm just putting it in my own words.
The fact is that if we are all born with these concepts pre-programmed into our brains, then they must have come from somewhere, something, someone, else. That something else is God, or whatever you want to call it.
There is no other way to understand it for me, but of course, for some God is an Alien from Mars, or a guy in Heaven. That is a matter of taste. There still must be something 'other' that is able to program these concepts into us, because how to explain the universal aspect of them otherwise?
We all know what I mean when I say 'you are a good person' and a baby will cry when you say 'bad boy' and 'know' what it means, even though he has never been taught ethics,morality or any other such thing. He just knows.
If evolution explains this, I'd love to know how.
Buzzbee - Great comment. Intuition is a powerful force, very esoteric and important. I agree with you on all counts although I'm in two minds about "What is real is what I intuitively know to be true". Reality is still up for debate. Cheers and thanks for the visit!
Arthur Windermere 2 years ago
Hey GL,
Great article. There's a lot in here I like and a few things I don't. Actually, just one thing i don't like: Deepak Chopra. haha sorry. He makes a lot of money by exploiting our fuzzy knowledge of difficult concepts. Really, if you want to get rich, "positive think" your way into writing a confusing self-help book.
A good way to think about quantum physics is to think of a crowded subway station. There are all these people. You stare at one guy until he gets uncomfortable and moves to the other end of the platform. Your observation has caused a change. But the train still runs on time and everyone gets to where they're going without incident. It's the same with quantum physics. Observation changes so little that it has no effect at all on the larger physical scale.
As a philosophy student, I've had to deal with the reality/illusion puzzle a lot. And you're right: ultimately it seems we just have to rely upon what works or suffer a brain meltdown. The fidelity of our perceptions do just seem to work and keep us alive. But hey, evolution promises us survival, not truth.
Cheers!