A Scientific Basis for Spirit

[Abracadabra]

Prelude:

The question often comes up as to whether there could be a scientific basis for spirit.
The answer seems to be quite simple.
Spirit can only be a scientific concept if a testable hypothesis can be offered for it.
So with that in mind, I would like to propose just such an experiment.
An experiment that you can personally perform without the aid of any technology.
However, before we can propose such an experiment, we must first have some definitions and a hypothesis to test.

Definition of Spirit:

This experiment will be based upon the following definition of spirit.
Arguing with this definition of spirit is a totally different topic.
If you disagree with this definition of spirit, then you have no interest in this experiment.
In fact, you can just say so. Just say, "I don't accept your proposed definition of spirit"
I have no interest in arguing endlessly on that point.
I'll accept that you reject this definition of spirit. It's no big deal.

Here is a preliminary definition of Spirit I got from Goggle's Dictionary:

Preliminary Brainstorming Definition of Spirit:
spir·it/ˈspirit/
Noun: The nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character; the soul.

For the purpose of this experiment I would like to rework this definition a bit.
After all, this is my experiment, and I'm permitted to refine the concept that I'm hoping to test.

All I would like to change is the term "soul" at the end of the definition, and replace it with something a bit more scientific.

Working Scientific Definition:
spir·it/ˈspirit/
Noun: The nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character; and experiences the phenomenon of consciousness.

So in other words, I'm just trashing the non-scientific word "soul" and replacing it with "and experiences the phenomenon of consciousness"

This is precisely the concept that I'm interested in testing. So this definition of spirit should work well for this experiment.


Preliminary Scientific Knowledge and Theories:

Before proceeding to the experiment we need to understand the current scientific view of "spirit".
What does science currently have to say about this concept of spirit (as defined above)

Well, to the best of my knowledge it goes as follows:

1. The human brain is nothing more than a complex biological computer.
2. This high-level of complexity gives rise to "thoughts"
3. These high-level "thoughts" are an emergent property of this computer.
4. It is these high-level emerging complex thoughts that experience consciousness.
5. No further explanation required. Thoughts are experiencing themselves.

In other words, the thoughts themselves are what is having the experience of being conscious.
But that's a bit circular is it not?
So maybe some extremely mysterious abstract idea of an "emergent property" is experiencing these thoughts?
But that's a bit speculative is it not?
To the best of my knowledge science has no detailed explanation of how this is actually accomplished.
In short, it's not based on any sort of scientific "proof".
The current scientific "theory" is nothing more than pure speculation that something along these lings is going on.
But they certainly have no clue what that something might be.

This brings us to the actual experiment.

The Actual Experiment:

Ok, to begin with I did not invent this experiment. On the contrary it's older than the hills.
It's really quite simple.
Still your mind.
Ignore every thought that emerges from your complex biological computer (i.e. your brain)
Simply don't pay any attention to them.
Don't focus on them.
Don't give them your attention.
Don't think about anything.
Just experience the thoughts that emerge from your biological computer as a river flowing past your attention.
Then ask yourself what is it that is experiencing this state of affairs?
What is this silent presence that requires nary a thought to exist?
What is it that even has an attention that can be focused?

Are the thoughts that emerge from your brain thinking of themselves?
Surely that's clearly not the case since you are not your thoughts.
You are the entity that is perceiving thought and focusing attention.

What does this experiment demonstrate?

Well it certainly appears to me to demonstrate that you are not your thoughts. That's clearly a given.
You can ignore your thoughts even during the waking state yet your 'spirit' still exists (based on our working definition of spirit)
In other words, you are still able to perceive and experience consciousness even when not thinking about it.
Therefore what sense does it make to proclaim that you are a product of thought, or that you even need a brain to exist at all?

Clearly you must be something else.

Spirit (i.e. the seat of experience) must be independent of thought and thus independent of any biological computer.