↪charleton I guess the story just fits your narrative. You have a story and you just make up a narrative to fit the story, as if you have any idea what human and animal traits were 1 billion years ago. Just make something up. — Rich
These are two different views of such a hologram as reconstructed by a laser beam. The brain can be considered such an analogous source in the quantum field. The mind extends out into it and perceives it to be out there and not in here. This idea of perception of a real quantum field is the result of Stephen Robbins research utilizing Henri Bergson's metaphysics. — Rich
↪charleton This is metaphysical based upon my observations of life. No need to make up stories about what happened 1 billion years ago. By the way, most current cosmological research is centered around a holographic view of the universe because it fits current observations. — Rich
But since the traits are not specific to humans you can't do that. Which is very much the point I was making, obviously. You are looking for human lived experience as a way of uncovering the evolutionary reason for those traits, but humans came ready supplied with them; traits that had already been a foregone conclusion for 100s of millions of years. — charleton
Yes. Mind over matter. — matt
Yes. One thing has to be the consequence of natural selection; the sheer infinite variety. Variety is explicable in terms of the process but simply cannot be REDUCED to survival.
ALL variations, all traits must precede adaptations. For the natural process to work towards the resultant evolution the variation must be there to select. Nature does not and cannot pre choose, predict, or prepare. Thus characteristic are not explained by their evolved states; characteristics explain evolution.
Maybe this is how some resessive traits can become dominant. — Cavacava
it would seem that the ability to adapt becomes critical — Cavacava
My point was that we are existential creatures, unlike most other creatures. — schopenhauer1
Yep, I understand you need variety in order for there to be traits that promote survival and reproduction in populations. I wasn't challenging that. My point was that we are existential creatures, unlike most other creatures. Being existential creatures means we have unique abilities- such as reflecting on why we do anything in the first place..why we exist..what's the point of it all. I'm explaining that there is a structural futility or emptiness behind all pursuits. We (as individuals) survive to survive to survive, doing repetitious or habitual routines- all within a cultural/linguistic, historically contingent, socioeconomic milieu. But we also do non-survival but related activities dealing with how comfortable we want to be (based on cultural expectations)- so we clean the house, fix the drain, wash the dishes, get the oil changed, etc. Finally, much our "free" time (non work or maintenance related) is to flee the eternal emptiness of the mental state of boredom. So, we flee it by trying to entertain ourselves with goal-driven activities- in other words, giving ourselves something to achieve. Sometimes our goal-driven entertainments lead to flow states which is a complete absorption in an activity as though time is irrelevant while we are engaged. — schopenhauer1
What other creatures would you include here?
It seem to me that "existential" as a adjective is not adequate to the idea you are trying to convey. — charleton
It seems to me the bolded concepts don't jive with each other. As I've experienced, "flow states" offer a sort of mystical timeless transcendence that give profound meaning and fullness. — matt
I purposely put that in there hoping someone would try to put flow states on a pedestal. Flow states don't make up for the lack of existence. Flow states are another avenue for lack actually. Then people miss the feeling of flow and chase it around for fleeting moments that fade. — schopenhauer1
I believe so.. WE are the only existential creatures.. Perhaps aliens on other planets too:)? — schopenhauer1
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