God is in your mind?

Guybrush · 05-15-2012, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitch

I find the tests and results quite interesting but not really convinced about the terminology used. It looks like they relate 'intuition' to system 1 (and especially religious faith). Intuition can get a bit vague at times as it encompasses many other things such as a quick impulse on fixing a computer problem. All of it is based on your previous cognitive experience. I'm guessing that if you were to witness something strange, your first impulse would be to examine and reason it and not turn to the supernatural.

The advancements in civilization and science in the past what? few thousand years is still extremely small in evolutionary terms for the brain to expand its prefrontal cortex where large percentage of the decision making activities take place. We also don't require the 'flight or fight' mechanism as much as before. It does seem strange though (or maybe even explains a lot) that when I read these religious texts, a lot of it seems to be based on fear - fear of dark, fear of death, fear of the unknown, sometimes even fear of the known, like the origin of our species....and when many of it gives the impression that it has the answers to everything, I find that it explaining absolutely nothing whatsoever.

I think if one watches something "strange", the first impulse might be for the brain to assess whether what you're seeing can be a threat to you or not. Whether or not it is will likely be determined by intuition because that's quicker which can then lead to a quicker appropriate fear response which will motivate you to remove yourself from danger.

Anyways, about texts based on fear, meme theory explains that quite easily. In a way, ideas can be compared to genes. They are able to replicate from one mind to another. Incompatible ideas (ex. there is a god / there is no god) compete against eachother for a limited resource which is a finite amount of minds that can possess them and the "fitness" of any idea is determined part by what sort of environment the idea exists in. Religious ideas on the whole have lower fitness in an environment where those ideas can convincingly be replaced by scientific ideas which promote critical thinking.

Ideas that can stir emotional responses may have an advantage over ideas which do not. Ideas (or "memes") can also work together or co-exist in a way that raises fitness for all of the cooperating ideas. For example the idea that there is a God and the idea that there is a hell will probably be better in the competitive mindscape if they can combine to create the idea that there is a God and not believing in him/her/it will send you to hell after you die. This is a very quick description of something you could read a whole book about, but generally speaking, such a religious combo-idea would likely be able to outcompete an idea that there is a God .. but it doesn't affect your well-being whether or not you believe in him/her/it.

So, ideas that appeal to fear and other emotional responses replicate efficiently in the mindscape as they are generally more competitive.

Howard the Duck · 05-19-2012, 06:15 AM

tore is what I would be like if i tried to rationalise everything

but i just question everything, even the fabric of reality and perception itself

Guybrush · 05-20-2012, 02:24 AM

^Thanks Batlord

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVCA

Tore is like what I would be if I were more polite, eloquent, intelligent, and patient.

Thanks RVCA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard the Duck

tore is what I would be like if i tried to rationalise everything

but i just question everything, even the fabric of reality and perception itself

My science education really had a profound effect on my beliefs and my approach/thoughts about things. I guess that's obvious though.

Neapolitan · 06-02-2012, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

My science education really had a profound effect on my beliefs and my approach/thoughts about things. I guess that's obvious though.

I know some about science but not through a formal college undercation as you did. I have my beliefs and whatever I learn about science never really undermines what I believe in, it might challenge my perception a bit but I don't see it refute anything I already believe.

The Batlord · 05-19-2012, 10:17 AM

Tore is what I would be like if I had a 12" penis.

PoorOldPo · 06-21-2012, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Tore is what I would be like if I had a 12" penis.

A rusty seaman with a pipe attached to his mouth?

Howard the Duck · 06-21-2012, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cru Hoor

A rusty seaman with a pipe attached to his mouth?

12" pipe

Trollheart · 06-22-2012, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cru Hoor

A rusty seaman with a pipe attached to his mouth?

How can his semen be rusty? Is there metal in it?

Trollheart · 06-22-2012, 06:52 PM

If I can be flippant here for a moment (Hi, I'm Flippant, please to meet you!) why is it do you think that God spends so much time in jail? I mean, people are ALWAYS finding him in prison! Does he live there, or is he just doing some sort of community outreach to the prisoners? And also, how can he be lost? Isn't he omnipotent? Hard to imagine God staggering out of the local and not knowing the way home...

Freebase Dali · 06-22-2012, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

If I can be flippant here for a moment (Hi, I'm Flippant, please to meet you!) why is it do you think that God spends so much time in jail? I mean, people are ALWAYS finding him in prison! Does he live there, or is he just doing some sort of community outreach to the prisoners? And also, how can he be lost? Isn't he omnipotent? Hard to imagine God staggering out of the local and not knowing the way home...

1. Murder and rape (in that order) a family of 6? God forgives you. Now you can pawn off the moral implications of your actions, and what kind of a person you are, on a loving god who has washed away your sins. When you finish your sentence and are free, and do it again, then you can simply say you "backslid"! (or the devil made you do it)
Moral, ethical and humanitarian implications be damned!

2. God has the power to make himself so drunk, that even he can't manage to find his way home. Obviously.

06-22-2012, 06:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	If I can be flippant here for a moment (Hi, I'm Flippant, please to meet you!) why is it do you think that God spends so much time in jail? I mean, people are ALWAYS finding him in prison! Does he live there, or is he just doing some sort of community outreach to the prisoners? And also, how can he be lost? Isn't he omnipotent? Hard to imagine God staggering out of the local and not knowing the way home... __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018