More on Examining How We Think

In my last blog I examined the ways some philosophers have determined for themselves how our human minds work; in today's blog, I want to continue that discourse.

In my examination of these older theories about how human minds work I have found none which give any attention to human consciousness.  Indeed, a contemporary philosopher has reported that, when he described himself as a Philosopher of Consciousness to other modern philosophers, he was met with derision, and told, in no uncertain terms, that there is no such thing as consciousness!  (Dictionary.com defines "consciousness," as: "the state of being conscious;  awareness of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.")

A major reason for this view--that consciousness does not exist--is the modern scientific position on life is that it is mechanistic--the physical human brain is what we humans have to think with and nothing else.  The possibility of humans having a potential for consciousness as well as other, unacknowledged, sources of information, in the Scientific Belief System, brings up the suggestion of a non-physical human aspect, which in turn gets them into the realm, in their System, of religion.

I, also, consider myself a Philosopher of Consciousness, and this fixation, I consider the primary flaw in scientific thinking.  In my system, I have included what I call the human Awareness System.  Many in this world, especially many young children, have not deadened their awareness' of the input from this System.  Unfortunately, when and if they talk about this input to the adults in their lives, they are usually firmly told that those things do not exist.  The more fortunate children may have an adult in their family who either has not lost their awareness of this input, or have managed to regain this material, who will support them.

What some of the early philosophers suggested, which has come to be called, "Empiricism," came the closest, in my view to recognizing the human Awareness System.  (In "Philosophy, the doctrine that all knowledge is derived from sense experience," as opposed to rationalism. Dictionary.com)  

In my philosophy, the Awareness System is made up, not only of the recognized human sensing faculties allowing them to perceive information originating from their senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, but also includes intuitive and other awareness' humans do have, but are denied in the Scientific Belief System.  Interestingly, while there is some acknowledgment that animals do seem to have such awareness', lumped together with instincts, they are denied to humans, along with the possibility of humans having instincts.  Such awareness', in general, have been lumped under the category of a sixth sense by those who accept and experience them.

Over the last Century, the Scientific Belief System has come to dominate particularly the educated minds of the Western World. As I have discussed in previous blogs, almost all individuals have been programmed and indoctrinated throughout their lives to the point that they are incapable of thinking clearly at all.  Those who consider themselves educated through the Western system have been Indoctrinated with the Scientific Belief System.  Unfortunately, those few who make an attempt to question any aspects of the Scientific Belief System are not listened to, but, instead, attacked as having been co-opted by the enemy of science--religion.

A beginning awareness of this problem, which has resulted in an effort to counteract some of the problem, has been those urging us to, "think outside the box."  Unfortunately, unless one is aware that, "the box" is their personal programmed and indoctrinated Belief System, not much progress can be made in this regard.

To summarize, in general, an individuals personal Belief System is built up over one's lifetime.  When young, the programming begins in the early years through the culture one has been born into, progressing through early religious training, and schooling.  This early programming is very powerful, and, depending upon the culture one grows up within, may never be left behind.  The Indoctrination process starts with the early religious and schooling one has.  The degree to which one is indoctrinated, depends upon how far along one goes in getting educated, kinds of degrees obtained, textbooks read, etc.  As indicated above, in the Western World, progressively, especially in those who consider themselves well educated, that system has become the Scientific Belief System, also called Scientific Thinking. 

What the vast majority of people actually think with is their personal Belief System.

As indicated above, anyone who, during this Indoctrination process, begins to question--think about--what they have been required to memorize/believe, as to its validity, will have a major problem in store for themselves, in pursuing their chosen field of study, if they make those doubts and questions known.  An indication on how entrenched this System is, I can remember back in the '60s when similar questioning individuals were disputing Darwinian Theory, to the extent that the newspapers were reporting that it had to be abandoned.  Yet now, today, a half-century later, it is still a major foundation Belief of the Scientific Belief System.

It is my belief that the reason this is so, is that if the Scientific Belief System gives up the belief in the Darwinian theory of Evolution as one of its foundation beliefs, those who hold to that System are afraid that the entire edifice may come tumbling down.

Another basic foundation belief in the Scientific Belief System is that Reality, and the Universe,  is only physical.  That there is nothing in existence that is not physical.  Now, if the fact that physicality is only a small aspect of Reality, were to be allowed as possible, the entire Scientific Belief System as it is today, would, probably, come tumbling down!  Some of those scientists--astrophysicists for example--have already had, seemingly, to go beyond that belief.  I can only say this tentatively, as I do not follow their complex speculations.  When they speak openly about a non-physical reality underlying our physical reality, then I will start to pay attention.

Some contributing factors, augmenting the breakdown of some of the Scientific Belief System Indoctrination, which began in earnest in the '60s, were, I believe, the introduction of Eastern practices, such as meditation, and forms of Yoga, as well as biofeedback experiments, the use of mind-altering substances, etc.  Actually, much has changed in the general population.  More and more individuals, breaking out of their fear, have written about and shared with others many personal paranormal and altered-states experiences and information.  This has resulted in a gradual breakdown, in the less indoctrinated, of the wholesale, Indoctrinated, belief in the official Scientific Belief System in many in the general populace.

Unfortunately, it is still the case that many of those people who gain information, or have had paranormal and other experiences gained through their Awareness System, of non-physical reality, have spent much of their lives thinking they are already, or are going, crazy.  They are afraid to tell anyone about what they have experienced, or are currently experiencing, due to what reactions they have gotten in the past if they have done so.

With that, I end today's blog.

Shirley Gallup