A Holiday Message from Ricky Gervais: Why I’m An Atheist

[Stigmata]

I like the way Ray Kurzweil described the "self". He put it this way, what we think of as "self" is the pattern of information existing in the neural network of our brains. That pattern contains everything that makes us "us": our memories and our thoughts. And that pattern is always changing, evolving.

I tend to agree with this view. But once you reach this conclusion, you have to ask where the phenomenon of perception comes from. The fact that a chemical process itself can create this experience of life, of self, is incredible. But it's so far beyond our understanding of matter and energy that for all we know, there could an analogue of the "soul" that exists outside of chemical processes and provides this perception. Or there might not be. But we perceive and live in spite of the apparent non-life and non-perception of our chemicals, and we feel as if we are more than the sum of our parts. It has to mean something.

 

[Alan00000]

It's was nice talking to you all but I have to go , I have a God to worship and a game to play. PEACE OUT!!

 

[VirusType2]

I replied to one of your posts! Who's being ignored now??

What is "true", anyway, if not a human construct?

Where is your God now?

No but seriously, I chuckled.