Are you here by choice? Whose?
Yours? Your parents'? God's?
Yours? Your parents'? God's?
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The Problem is Choice
- Thread starter SalixIncendium
- Start date
whirlingmerc
Well-Known Member
Thief
Rogue Theologian
that line of dialog was excellent
could you have posted more of it?
Some choice was involved. My parents could have used contraception, or aborted me.
No. I may well be a hard determinist or well on my way to fully blossom as one.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I guess you could say we are all products of the Chaos Theory. ;0)
Define the notion of a choice.
If there is a choice, does that mean there is more than one possible future?
Can choices only be made by living/conscious/intelligent beings?
Given that there are typically many different causes for any particular event, going back into the past (a causal tree, not a causal chain), do ALL preceding events (in the light cone) act as causes, so ALL choices made are relevant?
In any case, my mother considered me an 'oops'. But there was a choice not to abort.
If there is a choice, does that mean there is more than one possible future?
Can choices only be made by living/conscious/intelligent beings?
Given that there are typically many different causes for any particular event, going back into the past (a causal tree, not a causal chain), do ALL preceding events (in the light cone) act as causes, so ALL choices made are relevant?
In any case, my mother considered me an 'oops'. But there was a choice not to abort.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
By chance. I was at IIDB. Someone invited me here to take care of an obnoxious Hindu cult poster which I did, and in the process, got stuck. More than 12 years now.
Howard Is
Lucky Mud
There is only choice if there is an inherently existing entity, a soul or atman.
If you don’t believe in such a spiritual entity as the basis of your experience, then there isn’t ‘somebody’ making choices, there is only a process which includes a fleeting and conditional, context dependent sense of self.
Honestly, it just makes my head spin, so I go with the superficial, act like I really exist and make choices, and try not to sweat the small stuff. Mostly.
If you don’t believe in such a spiritual entity as the basis of your experience, then there isn’t ‘somebody’ making choices, there is only a process which includes a fleeting and conditional, context dependent sense of self.
Honestly, it just makes my head spin, so I go with the superficial, act like I really exist and make choices, and try not to sweat the small stuff. Mostly.
In the film Neo says "The problem is choice," but what if the problem is not choice but is process? The film is terrific. It introduces some philosophical conundrums and ideas. The oracle tells Neo "You are here not to make a choice but to understand the choice that you have already made." or something like that. It reflects some of the general problems we people have of not understanding ourselves. As we mature we understand ourselves, but there are surprises.
I used to be annoyed about the free energy the machines got from the humans, because I didn't understand the fiction science basis. Now I do. The Matrix film referred to in the OP makes the assumption that consciousness is the basis of reality: thus the AI people are able to extract pure energy from the minds of captured humans. In our physics this would be impossible, but in the film it happens. The energy comes from The Source through the captured humans and is collected to run a machine city. It looks very horrific what with the goo and weakened human forms and wires connected to their bodies.
I learned something relevant when reading about encryption and block chains. I learned that there is energy required to solve problems, and those problems solved prove that energy has been spent. Its what makes crypto currencies and block chains possible. This relates to questions about my existence. The proof that my pattern (me) exists is the complexity within it. There is no other evidence that I have any substance; but that is enough. My atoms are not atoms. My electrons are leptons. My leptons are quarks, and my quarks are merely patterns which are barely measurable and which are assigned the term 'Energy'. Thus I have no basis except for the complexity in me.
Maybe the problem is process, not choice. When I plant a seed I start a process, but I am also continuing a previous process. I am directing a process. The process is also self directing.
Where?
On RF? My choice
In France? A family decision
Alive? My parents but i should think mom shouted god now and again
My best thought is because this is the learning and growing experience we chose at the soul level.
Bird123
Well-Known Member
We are all here by our own choice. On the other hand, the parameters of our lives were not chosen by us, however we all do have free choice within those parameters.
Why in the world would anyone choose to be here? AS I see it, between lives we go to God and experience God's Unconditional Love that heals all hurt. It is a Love that feels so good and so complete that we would do anything for it. We all want to be just like God. We see where we are and where we need to be. This is when we choose to Learn how to be God.
We choose to take the path to perfection. After all hurt has been removed from us we are placed in a new physical body to continue to learn and grow until a physical body is no longer needed for our lessons. We will see God between the many many lifetimes it will take to reach our goal.
It's education at it's best. We are Living our lessons through our own free choices.
That's what I am seeing.
That's a nice thought.
syo
Well-Known Member
All of the above, yes?