08-25-2009, 11:27 AM
Hi Ali,
Of course, you are asking questions that are unknowable, and I am far too humble a servant to assume that I have answers that you do not. So please take the following as fodder for further discussion, rather than an answer to end it. Having three children, I know full well that there is no answer for which there cannot be another: "Why?". That said, let's dive in.
From our limited 3D perspective, I think we tend to focus too much on the fact that in an infinite universe anything can happen, and not enough on the fact that in an infinite universe everything must happen. Recall is required sooner or later, it seems to have happened now. Congratulations on the good fortune of being here now. Of course, you were also there, then and will ever be there-ever, forever.
How do you know you're not me? The only experience you have of me is pixels on a monitor. How do you know that it isn't really your eyes that imagine that the pixels are there and you've really just conjured up the whole illusion? Even if we met face-to-face, I could argue that the only experience you have of me is through your senses as processed by your mind, and we have technologies already that can fake most if not all of your senses, and lord knows that your mind fools itself all the time. I understand that this "brains in vats" argument is old (older still after having been beaten to death by the Matrix movies), but it still hold water.
As for seeing what I see, again why do suppose that I see anything at all? In reality (and mean this absolutely literally), I have no existence except through you, and you can never prove otherwise. The same goes true for you from me. I don't have to worry about dying, because this entire elaborate stage was constructed exclusively for my entertainment. I can't be written out of the script except by my choice (perhaps even my conscious choice, I haven't quite decided on that one yet) . I may choose to write you out of my script, but I think I'll keep you around for at least a little longer, because I like you Ali. So you see, the process of evolving is really just the process of my becoming more in touch with this godliness that I know I possess. Becoming more and more in control of the creation and destruction process, as it were. I wouldn't say that nothing can "hurt" me, because I recognize the benefit of feeling pain as a catalyst to aid me on my journey of self discovery, but I do know that even if I feel the most excruciating pain imaginable for an entire eon, that it has not actually harmed me in any real way.
Or rather, "First there was nothing, which then exploded... Without obviously explored reasons." One wouldn't want to be too presumptuous about what you did before you chose to forget. Here's an interesting question for you though. As a psychologist, I'm sure you're familiar with tricks that people develop to compensate for memory loss. They leave little notes around reminding them what to do when, or even who they are. Perhaps you did the same thing before you chose to forget. Have you looked for any of your notes? Would you recognize them if you saw them?
3D Sunset
Of course, you are asking questions that are unknowable, and I am far too humble a servant to assume that I have answers that you do not. So please take the following as fodder for further discussion, rather than an answer to end it. Having three children, I know full well that there is no answer for which there cannot be another: "Why?". That said, let's dive in.
(08-25-2009, 04:38 AM)Ali Quadir Wrote: But what is the reason to open the book ? Why is recall required? I do like the analogy here though. I think it's an appropriate perception to see time/space/possibility that in it's undifferentiated state like an unopened book. It's also an effective solution to the question if God's omnipotence breaks our free will.
From our limited 3D perspective, I think we tend to focus too much on the fact that in an infinite universe anything can happen, and not enough on the fact that in an infinite universe everything must happen. Recall is required sooner or later, it seems to have happened now. Congratulations on the good fortune of being here now. Of course, you were also there, then and will ever be there-ever, forever.
(08-25-2009, 04:38 AM)Ali Quadir Wrote: The question why am I me and not you is asked within my book. In essence the question could not be asked with the same meaning in any other book. It's the usual mantra, "I cannot see what you see because I see what I see".
How do you know you're not me? The only experience you have of me is pixels on a monitor. How do you know that it isn't really your eyes that imagine that the pixels are there and you've really just conjured up the whole illusion? Even if we met face-to-face, I could argue that the only experience you have of me is through your senses as processed by your mind, and we have technologies already that can fake most if not all of your senses, and lord knows that your mind fools itself all the time. I understand that this "brains in vats" argument is old (older still after having been beaten to death by the Matrix movies), but it still hold water.
As for seeing what I see, again why do suppose that I see anything at all? In reality (and mean this absolutely literally), I have no existence except through you, and you can never prove otherwise. The same goes true for you from me. I don't have to worry about dying, because this entire elaborate stage was constructed exclusively for my entertainment. I can't be written out of the script except by my choice (perhaps even my conscious choice, I haven't quite decided on that one yet) . I may choose to write you out of my script, but I think I'll keep you around for at least a little longer, because I like you Ali. So you see, the process of evolving is really just the process of my becoming more in touch with this godliness that I know I possess. Becoming more and more in control of the creation and destruction process, as it were. I wouldn't say that nothing can "hurt" me, because I recognize the benefit of feeling pain as a catalyst to aid me on my journey of self discovery, but I do know that even if I feel the most excruciating pain imaginable for an entire eon, that it has not actually harmed me in any real way.
(08-25-2009, 04:38 AM)Ali Quadir Wrote: But what is the first motivator? Why would the creator desire to know himself. Why did he open the books in the first place?
There has to be some kind of unavoidable root cause. Like I said before I have a hard time accepting that it was just a fancy. "Hey let's kick off the morning by having a good experience of self. And maybe if there is time we'll have boiled eggs afterwards."
It's really: "First there was nothing, which then exploded... Without adequately explored reasons."
Or rather, "First there was nothing, which then exploded... Without obviously explored reasons." One wouldn't want to be too presumptuous about what you did before you chose to forget. Here's an interesting question for you though. As a psychologist, I'm sure you're familiar with tricks that people develop to compensate for memory loss. They leave little notes around reminding them what to do when, or even who they are. Perhaps you did the same thing before you chose to forget. Have you looked for any of your notes? Would you recognize them if you saw them?
3D Sunset