Thoughts on Buddhism

[Abracadabra]

From the 'cosmic' perspective, you are just a miniscule speck of dust roaming around on a tiny spinning rock that only THINKS it is an independent individual, but in reality is completely dependent upon the entire galaxy. So when you step outside and see the sun shining in the sky, think to yourself, I am that sun, I am the sky, because in reality, in a deeper sense, your whole existence is dependent upon that open, blue sky and it's bright, warm sun! So it IS a mind trick, but a very good one!

It's far more than just a mind trick. It's the truth even in a philosophy of secular atheism truly.

As far as physics goes we are inseparable from the rest of the universe. If you want to talk about a 'mind trick' that would be the delusion that because we think we could somehow create an little capsule or spaceship to create the proper environment for us, that this somehow constitutes 'freedom and separation' from the rest of the universe. That would be a delusional mind trick.

No, we are completely dependent upon this universe even if only because we are ultimately made of star stuff that itself would not exist had it not been for supernova explosions eons ago. Not to mention having evolved under the nurturing care of our own planet and sun.

We are absolutely and totally inseparable from the universe even if we can delude ourselves into thinking that we could create an artificial capsule of comparable environment that appear to sustain us 'separately' from the rest of the universe.

So our inseparability from the universe as a whole is a hardcore undeniable given fact.

The only question that remains is whether any abstract 'emergent properties' that might arise from that process should in any way be consider to be any more 'separate' than anything else?

Also, if an emergent property arises and becomes 'me' then wouldn't all emergent properties in the universe also be 'me'.

Would you be the emergent property? Or would you be solely the experience of that particular emergent property?

But that then begs the question,.... what is actually having the "experience". The emergent property? Or the unique experience itself?

If it's the unique experience itself that is having the experience, then suddenly we find ourselves in one of those endless infinite paradoxes.

How can an experience have an experience?

Talk about metaphysical RIDDLES! This is worse than just assuming that there exist some sort of fundamental cosmic mind beneath all of creation if you ask me.

No one will ever convince me that this idea of emergent properties having experiences has a leg up on the idea of a deeper cosmic mind. Personally I find the idea of a deeper cosmic mind to be far more compelling even from a purely rational point of view.

So for me:

Spiritual Buddhism = 1
Secular Atheism or Secular Buddhism = 0

That's my personal tally of the score. Your mileage may vary.

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The framework that I was specifically addressing was the point that ReverendJeremiah pointed out concerning that we are this universe.

I said no such thing. I said we are RELATED to this cosmos, and I KNEW you would take it out of context and that is why I ALL CAPS the word to make sure you didnt...


...but you did.

So much for "we are the universe". If we are the universe, you would have known what i meant.

Well in that case, then I don't agree with your perspective. I apologize for the misunderstanding.

As far as I'm concerned we are far more than merely related to this universe. We are entirely made of it completely without exception.

There is nothing that is us, or a part of us, that is not also this universe. We are this universe. We are not merely "related to it".

So evidently we have some differences in our perspectives on this concept.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.