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Do you believe in materialism? If so, how can the self be anything but the collection of patterns, behaviors, and memories, as seen at a particular moment, tha
by dwaltrip 10y ago
Do you believe in materialism?
If so, how can the self be anything but the collection of patterns, behaviors, and memories, as seen at a particular moment, that, starting with the initial genetics, have accumulated thus far during a person's life? Through continual interaction with the universe, the accumulation (the "self") constantly changes, as each moment passes by.
Occasionally, these changes result in new behaviors that others might describe as "becoming a new person" -- this does not mean that some hidden potential self was finally activated.
If you are speaking highly metaphorically, then that is a different matter, of course.
- hosh 10y agoThanks for bringing this up. Rational materialism is a powerful frame, but it is not complete in and of itself. "How can the self be anything but the collection of patterns, behaviors and memories" -- all those things, patterns, behaviors, and memories arises, and will eventually passes. Only awareness remains. You can test this empirically for yourself (though not necessarily for other people). It isn't that there is a hidden potential self is finally activated. That true self was already present before the conditioning started, and is still present. I am not speaking metaphorically.
- dwaltrip 10y agoThanks for the response. As someone who generally relies on a materialistic framework, I can't fathom where this true self resides or is coming from, but it is interesting to read about.