[split] PORN

[Purple Rabbit]

True somewhat, but considering that the brain is the center of the nervous system, and the part of the system that reacts to transmitted stimuli: you would cease to exist without a brain (or similar device).

Of course, but which part of your body looses the self, the brain or the part from the spinal chord down?

Although I would contest the 'nobody is ever born and nobody ever dies' statement, strictly or not. Or was he referencing that the status of essence does not die simply because there is no existence to back it up, only no existence to materialize it?

Yes, it's a rather enigmatic assertion. What he means is that the self is a model that the brain makes. He calls it the self-model. IOW the self is a representation without the object that is represented. Since there is no objective self nobody ever gets born and nobody ever dies.

If you're interested and can handle some technical language, check out this vid (your patience will be rewarded):

[youtube]mthDxnFXs9k[/youtube]

Also, a process is a thing in and of itself... so i would contest a number of things in the quote. That a thing is not necessarily 'in' something else does not degrade its status as a thing.

True, it is not an attempt to degrade merely a fascinating observation of how nature constitutes awareness.