Does Behavior Define Us??

Jack Rabid · 11-10-2009, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fractaloverlap

I haven't tried it myself, but those who have tried drugs such as salvia describe the total loss of ego/sense of self that they experienced. Essentially, I believe that the concept of self is an evanescent illusion.

But as to the original post - We must certainly be more than what others observe, as I for one remain in existence even if no one else is observing me.....

Now, this is meaty .. and thought provoking .. OK.. so we are not what others perceive us to be..

But left alone.. do we still not act as ourselves??

as for the 1st part.. So existence is not what it seems.. I know we limit ourselves to navigate through life.. and our consciousness is bigger than our constructs... But it scares me

Hiccups24-7 · 11-10-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Free Will

...... what comes out of you, is you..

ROTFLMAO!!!!!111
oh..oh .....oh....... I'm sorry I'm in one of those moods today ... *wipes tear away*
Oh free willy! lol.
Ok I'll shut up now :P

Jack Rabid · 11-10-2009, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shannonline

ROTFLMAO!!!!!111
oh..oh .....oh....... I'm sorry I'm in one of those moods today ... *wipes tear away*
Oh free willy! lol.
Ok I'll shut up now :P

Uh HUH that is a very astute observation

.. I am pleased you found something to make you laugh..
Must be my lucky day!!

**Munchies** · 11-11-2009, 12:55 PM

The question is directed to people in general, and people in general are different. So it all depends on the individual. Some people know who they are, some don't, some people wear they're personalities on their sleeve, some don't.

babblingbrook · 11-11-2009, 02:54 PM

I think Marino does have a valid point, but it's about asking yourself, what is free will and freedom. You live life in a set of rules the world spread out for you. You can choose from this set of rules and bend some, but you always have to play with the set of rules. Life, the world as a gigantic database, your mind and your body who are in it, they do have it's barriers.

I listened to a lecture by John Searle on the philisophy of mind as of lately and I find functionalism to be a very interesting philosophy. The basic idea is that the mind is compared to a machine or a computer. There's some input that gets to your brain and mind and there's output that produces behavior. Pure causality.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Free Will

I would say.. We are who we are.. right now..
no matter who I was yesterday.. no matter what my feelings were yesterday.. today I am not who I was yesterday.. and never will be again.. I am now.. it's all I can be..

This would tell us that who you are today evolved from the one you were yesterday, but not only yesterday, from the day you were born. Every decision you make, your behavior, comes from your past experiences. Just like a culture has it's foundations, your mind has it's foundations and a mindset on it's own. History is important to know if you want to understand why we live the way we live today. Your mind follows directions when it receives input, it's a construction.