consciousness

Cultivating Ego

Google [Rats Experience Feelings of Regret] for research discovering that when a rat realizes it made a mistake, its body and brain show signs of regret (1). Research like this challenges the beliefs of human exceptionalism we’ve been cultivating to support our “illusion of self”— humanity’s collective ego, so to speak. Sure, we are different […]

Flow Triggers

The Flow Genome Project researches Flow, which Steven Kotler describes as when performance sharply increases. Google [How to open up the next level of human performance], [How To Get Into The Flow State], and [The Science of Maximizing Human Potential]. Anyone comfortable with the Zen(1) point of view will recognize Flow right off. Steven rephrases […]

The Proof is in the Pudding

Buddha felt that we needed to rely on our personal experience to verify his Four Noble Truths, and presumably any other alleged truth. No ‘take my word for it’ hoodwinking here. Now, the advanced capabilities of modern science really help us separate fact from myth. Still, personal experience must always be the final arbiter. Keep […]

Just like Us, Just like Them

Have you noticed how much we compare ourselves to other animals and see to what extent they are like us? That’s all quite normal, of course. All animals judge other animals to some extent, although I should say size up, gauge, or perceive, rather than judge. Judging is intimately tied to thinking and we’re the […]

Insatiably Curious at 70?

In the book, The Ravenous Brain(1), the author Daniel Bor refers to my age group. He argues that consciousness is a “chronic mental hunger.” That certainly has been my experience. He also says, “During aging, the insatiable brain becomes less so. We are less ravenous for new jewels of wisdom, and our entire existence, examined […]

The Truth vs. The Middle

The Chinese language uses dual characters (1) as shown here (right). While searching for background on this, I stumbled onto this article (Google) Culture, dialectics, and reasoning about contradiction (1999). This Abstract of the article succinctly portrays a noticeable difference in the way East and West view reality. It speaks for itself really, so there’s […]

Networks of Networks of….

The Science News report, When Networks Network, is so striking in its implications that you should read it first. Here is a link to a PDF: https://www.centertao.org/media/Networks-of-Network.pdf. This research hints at humanity’s gradual cognitive evolution toward a small ‘t’ Taoist (p.154) point of view. Research like this, along with quantum theory, nudges secular common sense […]

Seat of Consciousness

I recently received a kind email from someone who ended with this: Lastly, from reading Lau Tzu and Chuang Tzu, do you agree that it would seem that they would likely favor vegetarianism? I am becoming vegetarian myself, but it seems that eating clams and mussels might be possible, because they have no brain, and […]

Use Non-Responsibility

I translate lines 3 and 12 in Chapter 57 as Use non-responsibility when seeking all under heaven, and I am without responsibility and the people thrive themselves. I assume suggesting the virtue of non-responsibility flies in the face of common sense, if not threatens the very fabric of society. Like free will, explicit or implied, […]

Is Rock Conscious?

A while ago, I attempted to pin down a friend (1) of mine on the subject of consciousness. My view that a rock could be conscious didn’t go over too well. He said, “Words are sounds that gain meaning with use. Saying that a rock is conscious is like saying a rock is alive. That might work […]

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consciousness