I have noticed that there is an ever reoccurring theme that divides the nexus. Whether we´re having a discussion on depressive disorders, the nature of the DMT experience, or whether it´s on science, religion or mysticism. The basic underlying theme that keeps dividing us is the old materialism/spirituality debate.
I think that the reason why themes related to this keep causing such a stir, is actually that the problem is a paradox. It´s a fake problem. Both sides are right, and therefore the lack of recognition of any of the two sides will feel like severe injustice to some people: both the claim that humans are not spiritual beings and the claim that materialism is a lie, do not do justice to the life´s we lead in this world. And injustice will always upset people...like it should.
My mind is moving my body. I´m using my fingers right now, to transfer something that is inside my mind, onto this screen. You are using your eyes to transfer something that is on a screen into your mind.
Only when you would take the stance that it is a mere coincidence that my fingers move exactly like i want them to, that the movement of my fingers isn´t realy caused by ME but that they pure coincidentally move like i want them to and that they have done so up till now, only then can you make a credible claim that the mind, the soul, the spiritual is not in some way connected to the body, the physical, the worldly (unless i´m looking over some other possibility´s here ofcourse...you´re welcome to fill them in where i have failed to do so).
At the same time we don´t know what either side is. We don´t know what the physical world is and we don´t fully know who WE are either.
But that´s not the last word either.
We do agree that we can use words to refer to certain phenomena, even though the connection between the words and the phenomena may be not a direct one but a rather long chain: no scientist or mysticist would disagree if i would say that i´m sitting on a chair right now, even though the chair would actually be a collection of molecules, that are actually a collection of atoms, that are actually a collection of subatomic particles, and that most of the chair is empty space, even. So even though i may not actually know what it is i am realy refering to, we all agree that the reference itself is still valid to some degree. When you understand this sentence, you have implicitly agreed with the above, at least to some extent, because you know what i wanted to say when i used the word 'chair'.
I think that what can be said about chairs in this way, can be said about both matter and the soul as well. We don´t know what the words realy refer to, but we do know what is meant with them. Saying that either one or both of them don´t exist is something therefore, that in a sense MAY be true, but that doesn´t do fully justice to reality either.
I don´t have the answer. But i do think that these are the puzzlepieces, and that somehow they can be fitted toghether.
Maybe all of our disagreements could be used in a positive way, to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the nature of existence. I don´t think the (knowledge)gap can ever be fully bridged. But we can get closer and closer, each day.
I think that the reason why themes related to this keep causing such a stir, is actually that the problem is a paradox. It´s a fake problem. Both sides are right, and therefore the lack of recognition of any of the two sides will feel like severe injustice to some people: both the claim that humans are not spiritual beings and the claim that materialism is a lie, do not do justice to the life´s we lead in this world. And injustice will always upset people...like it should.
My mind is moving my body. I´m using my fingers right now, to transfer something that is inside my mind, onto this screen. You are using your eyes to transfer something that is on a screen into your mind.
Only when you would take the stance that it is a mere coincidence that my fingers move exactly like i want them to, that the movement of my fingers isn´t realy caused by ME but that they pure coincidentally move like i want them to and that they have done so up till now, only then can you make a credible claim that the mind, the soul, the spiritual is not in some way connected to the body, the physical, the worldly (unless i´m looking over some other possibility´s here ofcourse...you´re welcome to fill them in where i have failed to do so).
At the same time we don´t know what either side is. We don´t know what the physical world is and we don´t fully know who WE are either.
But that´s not the last word either.
We do agree that we can use words to refer to certain phenomena, even though the connection between the words and the phenomena may be not a direct one but a rather long chain: no scientist or mysticist would disagree if i would say that i´m sitting on a chair right now, even though the chair would actually be a collection of molecules, that are actually a collection of atoms, that are actually a collection of subatomic particles, and that most of the chair is empty space, even. So even though i may not actually know what it is i am realy refering to, we all agree that the reference itself is still valid to some degree. When you understand this sentence, you have implicitly agreed with the above, at least to some extent, because you know what i wanted to say when i used the word 'chair'.
I think that what can be said about chairs in this way, can be said about both matter and the soul as well. We don´t know what the words realy refer to, but we do know what is meant with them. Saying that either one or both of them don´t exist is something therefore, that in a sense MAY be true, but that doesn´t do fully justice to reality either.
I don´t have the answer. But i do think that these are the puzzlepieces, and that somehow they can be fitted toghether.
Maybe all of our disagreements could be used in a positive way, to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the nature of existence. I don´t think the (knowledge)gap can ever be fully bridged. But we can get closer and closer, each day.
