GENIUS FORUMS

Well, there is no empirical evidence that consciousness comes from the brain, only that it seems to come from the brain. We mustn't conflate correlation with causation. David Quinn once gave another example, saying something along the lines of: If our car does not start, and we rework the spark plu...

Well, here's a picture of me: http://www.microcosmologist.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/eso1208a.jpg Damn, do I look good here or what: http://younghopes.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/taj_mahal.jpg Ha, here I am just chillin': http://globeattractions.com/wallpapers/2012/12/iceberg-ice-sea-water-...

Orenholt wrote: It’s not that the perception of a thing is necessarily false (or true) it is that perceptions are by their very nature untrustworthy. You can only build a tentative reality from them. For example, we look at the fossil evidence and extrapolate from it that dinosaurs existed. But we ...

Freedom isn't free. Nor is it easy. What is most difficult? To know thyself. To he who does not know himself, the bliss of agape seems so agonizing, its warmth so freezing. Could you speak in plainer terms instead of being poetic about it? How can infinity be ideal when it has things in it that are...

What is true or right everywhere and everywhen, but Infinity? What is the Infinite, but the ultimate perspective from which one may have the power of proper discernment and judgement? True and right are qualities that infinity contains but infinity also contains falseness and wrongness. How can inf...

What's the difference? Wisdom means to be wise and wise means "having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right" Infinity means the state of being infinite which means "Immeasurable, indefinite, or exceedingly large" What is true or right everywher...

It's important to not get tangled up in the web of differing definitions. In philosophy, there are no official, fixed, and final definitions for words. Language is simply a tool to point to concepts, which themselves too are simply pointers to Reality. The pointers are only so important. This is the...

Orenholt wrote:

Getoriks wrote:Wisdom is my highest ideal.

I thought that your highest ideal was infinity.

What's the difference?

Wisdom is my highest ideal.

Dennis might have a point in regards to take it slow with Orenholt particularly on the Woman issue. I remember very how painful it was for me to read David's essay the first time. It wasn't until I gained a pretty good understanding of his views (along with Kevin and Dan) on reality/enlightenment b...

Orenholt wrote:

Russell wrote:That's like saying the ego exists beyond our conception of it.

That's because it does. The ego is basically the reward system in the brain. But the concept of "self" is just a concept.

The brain is just a concept, too, Orenholt.

"Ugh", says Woman. "That sounds terribly boring, and therefore illogical." Right. The point is not to like it, but to accept that it is logical and true. That is all one needs to do at first. One need not try to accept it. For once the mind considers it an absolute certainty, it...

concepts distinguish Indeed. they don't not-distinguish Well, that what my point, Dennis. Non-duality means non-distinction, and yet, non-duality is a concept, and concepts distinguish. orenholt 'gets' causality in her way No, she doesn't get it. That is why she is here to learn. what's the rush to...

Orenholt, taking a break from posting and going back to reading and thinking is not for satisfying Kelly or anyone here but yourself. You're the one who lacks the understanding. They're telling you to do some serious thinking for your own good, not theirs. They are not telling you to go away for goo...

Ultimately, there is no sameness or oneness, either. what are you implying. that there's twoness. these are merely conceptual distinctions and have no absolute reality. not one, not two breaks the conceptual addiction. Quinn actually says nothing exists, the gateway to nirvana closes on any discrim...

Getoriks, please explain how that invalidates the following: I don't mind some women being called unconscious, because some in fact are, but to make the word "woman" itself which already encompasses a certain group of people synonymous with "unconscious" when it doesn't apply to...

Despite this being a long post, it only barely touches the tip of the iceberg on this controversial (and make no mistake -- David deliberately chose something controversial because those who are easily and highly offended by his essay currently have no chance what so ever of becoming wise, for they ...

ultimately, there's no male/female distinction
what is the point of this drama?

killing time?

Ultimately, there is no sameness or oneness, either.

Mhmm... I see... And how do you differentiate between reason and rationale, or reasoning and rationalizing?

Orenholt wrote:The concept of the ego can be "erased" but the ego cannot (unless you physically die).

The ego, according to you, then, is any living thing? A thing needs an ego to live, to survive?

Orenholt, concerning the ego, how would you differentiate between enlightenment, narcissism, and solipsism?

Orenholt, indeed, you aren't being consistent. Regardless, are you attempting to argue for something along the lines of "psychological hedonism", the idea that all actions are done to satisfy the actor? Even if we agree with this, let's take a look at where it leads us, in relation to enli...

On the one hand, one should strive with all their might to become enlightened as soon as they possibly can. One could die from a freak accident or sudden illness at any moment, so there is no time to waste! Yet on the other hand, being Eternal, what rush is there to awaken? Perhaps it is neither a h...

In intellectual discourse - only adherence to existent reality matters. In this respect - sex is not an issue (the earth revolves around the sun - whether you are a man observing this - or a woman). Right on. Hopefully Orenholt and others in the future as well can not be so insecure and hung up on ...

It was brave and masculine of Orenholt to admit that she was nearly offended. "Nearly offended" is a strange term. Can someone really be 'nearly' offended? Offended or not offended - yes, but nearly ... Barely offended is a better term. That is what I meant to say. She says she was not in...