Philosophy Discussion Forums

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 9:20 am In relation to any idea of God or of a cosmic plan, there is the question as to what extent it is humanity's, fault or where does it fit into the larger scheme or purpose?

It's God's fault, not ours?

Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 10:21 am

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 9:20 am In relation to any idea of God or of a cosmic plan, there is the question as to what extent it is humanity's, fault or where does it fit into the larger scheme or purpose?

It's God's fault, not ours?

If there is no God, then it's our fault. If there is a God, we choses to do what we want to do, so it's still our fault.

EricPH wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 1:11 pm

Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 10:21 am

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 9:20 am In relation to any idea of God or of a cosmic plan, there is the question as to what extent it is humanity's, fault or where does it fit into the larger scheme or purpose?

It's God's fault, not ours?

If there is no God, then it's our fault. If there is a God, we choses to do what we want to do, so it's still our fault.

Perhaps it is wrong to blame human beings or God it may be part of a larger picture beyond the scope of our rational understanding and egoistic perspectives. That is not to say that the responsibilities of human beings should be not taken seriously. It is just that we do not know what is coming in the future and if there is a God, or a cosmic source it could be far greater for any beings which may exist.

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 7:49 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 6:43 pm

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 5:10 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 10:07 am

I find the subtle aspects of consciousness interesting, including the effects of human consciousness on matter and energy fields. In the tradition of theosophy, I came across the idea that ghosts are disturbances in the energy fields, often after a particular traumatic death. I have never seen a ghost but I know many people who claim to have such experiences.

One idea which I also wonder about is 'sick building syndrome'.In the last house I was in I remember one of the other tenants saying that he thought it was the problem. Of course, there is the possibility of superstitious thinking or synchronicities. For example, the kitchen ceiling collapsing while I was moving out seemed more symbolic and it was caused by a broken pipe upstairs. I think that the new place I am in has a lot of sickness, especially the heating system. My radiator in my room is boiling hot and if I manage to turn the knob to make it go out the hot water in the bathroom goes out too. I don't think that it is a coincidence because whenever I have my radiator off it seems to happen. At the moment I have full heat 24 hours a day but I will roast if it is a heatwave and, it is not good for energy resources. I don't know why I always seem to find all the sick buildings, and it may be because others manage to avoid them somehow. It is not as if I am oblivious to these disturbances but put up with them if I need somewhere urgently and there may be a lot of sick and disturbed energy fields, although many people may disregard such ideas completely.

Before looking at spirit-based causes, I'd be wondering about ventilation issues, possible contaminants in the foundations, shoddy or aged building materials, rising damp, mould, vermin, bacteria, electromagnetic problems, and so on.

Of course, you are correct and the basis of problems in the material world is primary before thinking about spirit, otherwise there is a danger of slipping into the animistic thinking of magic in a literal way.

In my experience, whenever such mysteries are investigated, the results are invariably disappointingly prosaic

With mysteries and matters of the spirit it does seem that the attempts to test them are frequently disappointing. It is difficult to know whether this means that aspects of the supernatural are products of the overactive imagination or whether it is because it is difficult to pin spirit down to the methodology of empirical verification. So, it is often hard to go beyond the God of the missing gaps and so many unsolved mysteries.

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 2:10 pm

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 7:49 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 6:43 pm

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 5:10 pm

Before looking at spirit-based causes, I'd be wondering about ventilation issues, possible contaminants in the foundations, shoddy or aged building materials, rising damp, mould, vermin, bacteria, electromagnetic problems, and so on.

Of course, you are correct and the basis of problems in the material world is primary before thinking about spirit, otherwise there is a danger of slipping into the animistic thinking of magic in a literal way.

In my experience, whenever such mysteries are investigated, the results are invariably disappointingly prosaic :)

With mysteries and matters of the spirit it does seem that the attempts to test them are frequently disappointing. It is difficult to know whether this means that aspects of the supernatural are products of the overactive imagination or whether it is because it is difficult to pin spirit down to the methodology of empirical verification. So, it is often hard to go beyond the God of the missing gaps and so many unsolved mysteries.

It's not just spirit, it's space too. All the false leads and hopes but it appears there is a high chance that we are actually alone. There's been some calculations done, taking into account all of the lucky factors that allowed humans to evolve, and the odds are not great.

In fact, every single youthful dream I had about the nature of reality has been utterly smashed! Ultimately, we look for the magical and exceptional, but it's our own existence seems to be the biggest miracle around - and these days humans don't much like each other.

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 4:18 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 2:10 pm

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 7:49 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 6:43 pm

Of course, you are correct and the basis of problems in the material world is primary before thinking about spirit, otherwise there is a danger of slipping into the animistic thinking of magic in a literal way.

In my experience, whenever such mysteries are investigated, the results are invariably disappointingly prosaic

With mysteries and matters of the spirit it does seem that the attempts to test them are frequently disappointing. It is difficult to know whether this means that aspects of the supernatural are products of the overactive imagination or whether it is because it is difficult to pin spirit down to the methodology of empirical verification. So, it is often hard to go beyond the God of the missing gaps and so many unsolved mysteries.

It's not just spirit, it's space too. All the false leads and hopes but it appears there is a high chance that we are actually alone. There's been some calculations done, taking into account all of the lucky factors that allowed humans to evolve, and the odds are not great.

In fact, every single youthful dream I had about the nature of reality has been utterly smashed! Ultimately, we look for the magical and exceptional, but it's our own existence seems to be the biggest miracle around - and these days humans don't much like each other.

The question here may be to what extent is it better to embrace the possibilities of outer and inner space, God and the supernatural or to be grounded in harsh realism and the mundane? How does the life of the hardcore materialist differ from that of the mystic? This has special bearing in relation to existentialism and the perspective of thinkers such as Camus and Sartre. Does loss of belief in God mean a loss of awe and wonder? Children often have a sense of the magical, which becomes lost later. Also, it is questionable whether the sense of the numinous is related to belief in God or is related to consciousnes and creativity, such as the mythic aspects touched upon in the arts and eureka moments of discovery in the sciences and in life experiences.

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 24th, 2023, 10:35 am

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 4:18 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 2:10 pm

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 22nd, 2023, 7:49 pm

In my experience, whenever such mysteries are investigated, the results are invariably disappointingly prosaic :)

With mysteries and matters of the spirit it does seem that the attempts to test them are frequently disappointing. It is difficult to know whether this means that aspects of the supernatural are products of the overactive imagination or whether it is because it is difficult to pin spirit down to the methodology of empirical verification. So, it is often hard to go beyond the God of the missing gaps and so many unsolved mysteries.

It's not just spirit, it's space too. All the false leads and hopes but it appears there is a high chance that we are actually alone. There's been some calculations done, taking into account all of the lucky factors that allowed humans to evolve, and the odds are not great.

In fact, every single youthful dream I had about the nature of reality has been utterly smashed! Ultimately, we look for the magical and exceptional, but it's our own existence seems to be the biggest miracle around - and these days humans don't much like each other.

The question here may be to what extent is it better to embrace the possibilities of outer and inner space, God and the supernatural or to be grounded in harsh realism and the mundane? How does the life of the hardcore materialist differ from that of the mystic? This has special bearing in relation to existentialism and the perspective of thinkers such as Camus and Sartre. Does loss of belief in God mean a loss of awe and wonder? Children often have a sense of the magical, which becomes lost later. Also, it is questionable whether the sense of the numinous is related to belief in God or is related to consciousnes and creativity, such as the mythic aspects touched upon in the arts and eureka moments of discovery in the sciences and in life experiences.

Magic is in us and all around us. Not that most of us care.

People often need to invent magical super beings to bring them some fairy dust to make up for the fact that they treat the magical entities all around them like garbage, or simply fail to notice them. Focus on social dynamics over one's connection with the Earth is a great way to succeed in life, but it means effectively selling one's soul to Mammon. Immune from the charms of actual reality, people may call on the Big Man in Your Head for their awe and wonder.

Ultimately, though, it's a matter of focus and interest. If you focus on something enough, you will realise how magical, special and rare it is, especially in context with the endless barren wastelands and deadly realms outside of Earth. It depends on whether one sees social and material success as all that matters, or not.

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 24th, 2023, 7:53 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 24th, 2023, 10:35 am

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 4:18 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 2:10 pm

With mysteries and matters of the spirit it does seem that the attempts to test them are frequently disappointing. It is difficult to know whether this means that aspects of the supernatural are products of the overactive imagination or whether it is because it is difficult to pin spirit down to the methodology of empirical verification. So, it is often hard to go beyond the God of the missing gaps and so many unsolved mysteries.

It's not just spirit, it's space too. All the false leads and hopes but it appears there is a high chance that we are actually alone. There's been some calculations done, taking into account all of the lucky factors that allowed humans to evolve, and the odds are not great.

In fact, every single youthful dream I had about the nature of reality has been utterly smashed! Ultimately, we look for the magical and exceptional, but it's our own existence seems to be the biggest miracle around - and these days humans don't much like each other.

The question here may be to what extent is it better to embrace the possibilities of outer and inner space, God and the supernatural or to be grounded in harsh realism and the mundane? How does the life of the hardcore materialist differ from that of the mystic? This has special bearing in relation to existentialism and the perspective of thinkers such as Camus and Sartre. Does loss of belief in God mean a loss of awe and wonder? Children often have a sense of the magical, which becomes lost later. Also, it is questionable whether the sense of the numinous is related to belief in God or is related to consciousnes and creativity, such as the mythic aspects touched upon in the arts and eureka moments of discovery in the sciences and in life experiences.

Magic is in us and all around us. Not that most of us care.

People often need to invent magical super beings to bring them some fairy dust to make up for the fact that they treat the magical entities all around them like garbage, or simply fail to notice them. Focus on social dynamics over one's connection with the Earth is a great way to succeed in life, but it means effectively selling one's soul to Mammon. Immune from the charms of actual reality, people may call on the Big Man in Your Head for their awe and wonder.

Ultimately, though, it's a matter of focus and interest. If you focus on something enough, you will realise how magical, special and rare it is, especially in context with the endless barren wastelands and deadly realms outside of Earth. It depends on whether one sees social and material success as all that matters, or not.

It does seem that people often look for feats of the supernatural rather than appreciate the magic and miraculous in life as it is. So much may be taken for granted in daily life, especially in materialistic culture. The human ego may be the stumbling block, as the nagging voice, even in the need to prove or disprove the existence of God.

It is even questionable how much difference it makes unless one expects punishment or reward in an afterlife. It is possible to spend so much time debating such matters to the point where appreciation of this life is missed. Of course, the question of God's existence may be more pertinent when one faces personal death, the death of close ones. It may also that in times of crisis people seek a source of divine intervention or salvation. This may be about wishful thinking or as faith. Fear and faith are strong factors in the psychology of belief in existence rather than the issue being simply a matter of rationality and logic.

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 25th, 2023, 9:04 am

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 24th, 2023, 7:53 pm

JackDaydream wrote: ↑April 24th, 2023, 10:35 am

Sy Borg wrote: ↑April 23rd, 2023, 4:18 pm
It's not just spirit, it's space too. All the false leads and hopes but it appears there is a high chance that we are actually alone. There's been some calculations done, taking into account all of the lucky factors that allowed humans to evolve, and the odds are not great.

In fact, every single youthful dream I had about the nature of reality has been utterly smashed! Ultimately, we look for the magical and exceptional, but it's our own existence seems to be the biggest miracle around - and these days humans don't much like each other.

The question here may be to what extent is it better to embrace the possibilities of outer and inner space, God and the supernatural or to be grounded in harsh realism and the mundane? How does the life of the hardcore materialist differ from that of the mystic? This has special bearing in relation to existentialism and the perspective of thinkers such as Camus and Sartre. Does loss of belief in God mean a loss of awe and wonder? Children often have a sense of the magical, which becomes lost later. Also, it is questionable whether the sense of the numinous is related to belief in God or is related to consciousnes and creativity, such as the mythic aspects touched upon in the arts and eureka moments of discovery in the sciences and in life experiences.

Magic is in us and all around us. Not that most of us care.

People often need to invent magical super beings to bring them some fairy dust to make up for the fact that they treat the magical entities all around them like garbage, or simply fail to notice them. Focus on social dynamics over one's connection with the Earth is a great way to succeed in life, but it means effectively selling one's soul to Mammon. Immune from the charms of actual reality, people may call on the Big Man in Your Head for their awe and wonder.

Ultimately, though, it's a matter of focus and interest. If you focus on something enough, you will realise how magical, special and rare it is, especially in context with the endless barren wastelands and deadly realms outside of Earth. It depends on whether one sees social and material success as all that matters, or not.

It does seem that people often look for feats of the supernatural rather than appreciate the magic and miraculous in life as it is. So much may be taken for granted in daily life, especially in materialistic culture. The human ego may be the stumbling block, as the nagging voice, even in the need to prove or disprove the existence of God.

It is even questionable how much difference it makes unless one expects punishment or reward in an afterlife. It is possible to spend so much time debating such matters to the point where appreciation of this life is missed. Of course, the question of God's existence may be more pertinent when one faces personal death, the death of close ones. It may also that in times of crisis people seek a source of divine intervention or salvation. This may be about wishful thinking or as faith. Fear and faith are strong factors in the psychology of belief in existence rather than the issue being simply a matter of rationality and logic.

yes. There's seems little reason to believe the Bible more than any other ancient mythological text. Why believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, performed miracles and resurrected, and not believe that Muhammad split the Moon in two? Basically because Constantine had "visions" and patronised and legimitised Christianity, effectively starting the Roman Catholic church.