The Nature of Thought

Discussion in 'Human Science' started by esp, May 9, 2007.

  1. esp Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    908
    I asked the same question a long time ago.

    And thought that I may get a better response now.

    WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THOUGHT?


    What differetiates homanids
    [homo sapiens] from our cousins, the Apes?
     
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  3. river-wind Valued Senior Member

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    2,671
    The ability and desire to shave?

    I got nothin'


    edit: I think it's a by-product of the brain's chemical process. how or why I don't know, but the effect of chemical introduction on the cognitive process suggests that a soul isn't running the show, as it is incorporeal, and would be unaffected by drugs.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2007
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  5. Billy T Use Sugar Cane Alcohol car Fuel Valued Senior Member

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    That is a very interesting question. (I wonder why I have not asked it myself.) Perhaps the answer is what I suggest about humans and call the "real time simulation" - See:
    http://www.sciforums.com/showpost.php?p=1294496&postcount=52
    I.e. humans are not what the behaviorist once thought, but apes may be.

    The thinking ability of the great apes has been studied extensively. I even have a book on that subject. They clearly have the capacity to solve original problems and even experience the "ah! moment" when they think of the solution, but compared to humans they are very limited.

    In the link above, I do suggest that our ancestors may have differed from the bigger brained, much stronger Neanderthals by being the first to develop the "real time simulation" I propose in the link, but never thought to notice that it may also explain why great apes are so limited in their power of thought.
     
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  7. fishtail Registered Senior Member

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    915
    It may be interesting to see where our thoughts lead.

    The need to know the origins of the universe is one road but, is it persuaded
    for knowledge or fame?

    The need for wealth is another, wealthy people are famous.

    Concentrating all your thoughts on improving your body another, top athletes
    are famous.

    For the general public thoughts of where is my next meal coming from.

    Thoughts seem to be for survival and/or fame.
     
  8. c'est moi all is energy and entropy Registered Senior Member

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    583
    The nature of thought is that it fragments the world. The drawback is that by using it, you destroy the dynamical nature of Being and beings. Hence, you cannot know more about the world than your method of fragmentation (thought) allows you to. Of course, there are gradations in it: poëtic thought is very unspecific and allows excluding possibilities to coexist in superposition. But the other extreme, scientific thought, has in the end lead to the quantum principle which demands exact the same thing. The difficulty of the interpretation lies in how we use our mind and if we will keep regarding thought as the most suited method of investigation in favour of any other (like participation, Buddhist and Taoist emptiness, ...).
     
  9. Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

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    11,888
    What about knowledge for its own sake? How many scientists become famous? How many become rich? How many of those that have become famous or rich actually strove for it, or care that they have it?
     
  10. Singularity Banned Banned

    Messages:
    1,287
    The nature of human thoughts revolve around only one thing, ie. Reproduction. In this process they are preprogrammed to do some of these things.

    1) To prove that i am better than you

    2) To prove that i am better but its not actually for sex

    3) To make sure everything required for getting a mate has been acquired

    etc, etc. Basically its a pathetic life specially notable among men.
     
  11. Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    11,888
    Data? References?
    Better than the competition, surely.
    If it's not for sex then reproduction isn't an issue is it?
    Getting a mate is an end in itself, depends what sort of mate you're willing to settle for.
    And women fall for it... who's the most pathetic?
     
  12. c'est moi all is energy and entropy Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    583
    The nature of natural selection revolves around only one thing, ie. Reproduction. In this process it preprogrammes us to do some of these things.

    1) To prove that i am better than you

    2) To prove that i am better but its not actually for sex

    3) To make sure everything required for getting a mate has been acquired

    etc, etc. Basically its a pathetic life specially notable among men.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Just to show you that the Darwinian perspective always adds the same content to any context. It's a way of looking and organising the order of time and life based on the principle of temporary existence. You only organise these things because you've already managed to fragment them into a countless number of pieces with your thoughts.

    Besides, succesful males and females all know too well that you don't go and achieve succes with the other sex by reasoning about how you're going to do it, or in showing how clever you are socially or other. What you do is take action wherein no thinking is required - thinking will spoil any true dynamics when you're in for interaction.
     
  13. Singularity Banned Banned

    Messages:
    1,287
    Greate words , i like that. But talking about showing being better, these humans have create a web of deceit through culture and traditions. For example its ok for them to make money, lots of money while 90% of humanity are reeling in poverty.

    But these successful (known as) humans walk with a high head. They actually believe they are good humans. For example when US went to war on Iraq, the americans were supposed to die fighting their governments. But even today they show no remorse about the million killed with their tax money.

    Its a mad mad human world driven by sex
     

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