What are: 'the voices in your head'?

[Kilgore Trout]

I'm lucky enough to have a highly orderly, controlled, self-aware, and generally healthy/balanced mind/brain, so I've never heard voices. I've known a number of people suffering from various mental illnesses who have heard voices, and it seems like a highly stressful and bewildering experience which is a persistent roadblock to experiencing equanimity or a normal life. Of course, there are always people who affect any behavior/trait to make themselves seem more interesting or special, but most people can easily identify these types, and it's hard to take anything they say seriously.

 

[SabahTheLoner]

What are: 'the voices in your head'?

Any speculation is welcome here,
but I have to ask you to back-up up your answer
with at least two reasons.

What are: 'the voices in your head'?

Sound is a feeling. We remember feelings quite well. We can think about them even when we can't feel them at the moment. Brains that can think in sound tend to think of sounds. Then it is interpreted as a feeling by the brain, which attempts to express this feeling.

Those with mental disorders may experience an overdrive of this type of processing, due to the disorder itself or possible treatments. So it could also be the brain interpreting a large amount of chemical activity and not just recurring memories.

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

What are: 'the voices in your head'?

Any speculation is welcome here,
but I have to ask you to back-up up your answer
with at least two reasons.

What are: 'the voices in your head'?

My thoughts.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

My thoughts.

DO you think this is true for everyone, even the psychopaths?

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Sound is a feeling. We remember feelings quite well. We can think about them even when we can't feel them at the moment. Brains that can think in sound tend to think of sounds. Then it is interpreted as a feeling by the brain, which attempts to express this feeling.

Those with mental disorders may experience an overdrive of this type of processing, due to the disorder itself or possible treatments. So it could also be the brain interpreting a large amount of chemical activity and not just recurring memories.

Do you think telepathy or discarnate spirits are totally impossible?

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

DO you think this is true for everyone, even the psychopaths?

Depends on what you mean by voices.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Depends on what you mean by voices.

Well, it seems that some people do silly things like attack people,
and then claim 'the voices' told them to do it.
What I am trying to get to is that, why do such people feel compelled to obey them?
But first it must be understood what 'they' are.

 

[SabahTheLoner]

Do you think telepathy or discarnate spirits are totally impossible?

Telepathy in humans? Unlikely in my view but I'm willing to hear any arguments supporting it. Spirits? I have had experiences that could be explained using body-less spirits or the like but it could be a number of other things, and even then I couldn't really hear voices. When I do "hear" voices, it's usually when I'm thinking of a person I know well, or a singer I'm familiar with.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Telepathy in humans? Unlikely in my view but I'm willing to hear any arguments supporting it. Spirits? I have had experiences that could be explained using body-less spirits or the like but it could be a number of other things, and even then I couldn't really hear voices. When I do "hear" voices, it's usually when I'm thinking of a person I know well, or a singer I'm familiar with.

I was once in a highly relaxed state.
I was eating a cookie, and lounging in a chair with the cookie
half-eaten in my hand which was dangling down the side of my chair.

I clearly heard a discarnate female voice say in my head:
"If you just sit really still, you will see something really beautiful."

I did not move at all.

Just then a little wild mouse with 4 stripes on its back poked its head around
the door, sniffed, and trotted over, took the cookie out my hand
and scampered off into the yard.

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

Well, it seems that some people do silly things like attack people,
and then claim 'the voices' told them to do it.
What I am trying to get to is that, why do such people feel compelled to obey them?
But first it must be understood what 'they' are.

Well they often think that it is their own thoughts, spirits, or a god.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Well they often think that it is their own thoughts, spirits, or a god.

But why obey your own thoughts, spirits, or a god, if what they are saying is bad?
We all have negative thoughts - we don't have to obey them
a spirit or god that tells you to do wrong should also be disagreed with or reasoned with.

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

But why obey your own thoughts, spirits, or a god, if what they are saying is bad?
We all have negative thoughts - we don't have to obey them
a spirit or god that tells you to do wrong should also be disagreed with or reasoned with.

People worship gods that have supposably killed thousands of Innocents.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

People worship gods that have supposably killed thousands of Innocents.

How can we ever know if they were innocent?
Perhaps all of it was perfectly justified.
Just today a psychopath tempted me to end his miserable existence.
No doubt if I had, many with fear in their hearts would have labelled me a murderer.
I'm just a bit squeamish.

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

How can we ever know if they were innocent?
Perhaps all of it was perfectly justified.
Just today a psychopath tempted me to end his miserable existence.
No doubt if I had, many with fear in their hearts would have labelled me a murderer.
I'm just a bit squeamish.

Well the Abrahamic deity killed all of the humans but a few in a flood according to most Abrahamic religions. Are you saying that there were no children, toddlers, babies, or pregnant women?

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Well the Abrahamic deity killed all of the humans but a few in a flood according to most Abrahamic religions. Are you saying that there were no children, toddlers, babies, or pregnant women?

Well, contrary to popular belief, the Bible does not disagree with reincarnation;
and it actually alludes to it at least twice.
Personally I do accept reincarnation, so even unborn children could still carry guilt from past lives.

But death of innocents should not be a problem, as their souls are immortal.
However, if you think about it a bit, killing of guilty people is worse because then their
sins count against them and they are either destroyed or sent to hell or a worse life.
We should always afford them chance to repent.
Lord knows if killing evil would rid us of evil, I'd have very dirty hands by now.
Its only because I care for the worst sinners that I give them every living opportunity to repent
and make every possible reparation.

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

Well, contrary to popular belief, the Bible does not disagree with reincarnation;
and it actually alludes to it at least twice.

Citation please.

Personally I do accept reincarnation, so even unborn children could still carry guilt from past lives.

If we don't retain memory, personality, or upbringing then how are we the same person?

But death of innocents should not be a problem, as their souls are immortal.

By that logic you should go out and kill all of the innocent people you can.

However, if you think about it a bit, killing of guilty people is worse because then their
sins count against them and they are either destroyed or sent to hell or a worse life.
We should always afford them chance to repent.
Lord knows if killing evil would rid us of evil, I'd have very dirty hands by now.
Its only because I care for the worst sinners that I give them every living opportunity to repent
and make every possible reparation.

That's not what the Abrahamic god did though.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Citation please.

Can't seem to find it. Its in the New Testament. Either John or Jesus is asked if he is one of the prophets
from the past. Don't quite recall which prophet. But the question is answered in the negative.
Thus it is alluded that someone alive at the time might be a reincarnation of a prophet.
If reincarnation was incorrect then this would be the perfect time to point this out.
There is another incident where one of the disciples is asked a similar question with similar result.

You'll have to read the NT yourself if you want to find the details.

If we don't retain memory, personality, or upbringing then how are we the same person?

We do retain the core emotions of our previous lives as our personality,
and we can find past memories if we seek long and hard and if its vital to us.

By that logic you should go out and kill all of the innocent people you can.

Not at all.
And you know that is not logical
because people still rely on one another.

That's not what the Abrahamic god did though.

He had knowledge of their entire existence.
We do not. That is why when he flooded the world, it was in keeping with his mystical plan.
But if we are willful in killing we may through free choice bring more suffering.

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

Can't seem to find it. Its in the New Testament. Either John or Jesus is asked if he is one of the prophets
from the past. Don't quite recall which prophet. But the question is answered in the negative.
Thus it is alluded that someone alive at the time might be a reincarnation of a prophet.
If reincarnation was incorrect then this would be the perfect time to point this out.
There is another incident where one of the disciples is asked a similar question with similar result.

You'll have to read the NT yourself if you want to find the details.

I have read the NT but that is besides the point.

YOU made the claim and therefore you have the burden of proof.

We do retain the core emotions of our previous lives as our personality,
and we can find past memories if we seek long and hard and if its vital to us.

Scientifically disproven, there is a generic link to personality traits and most develop from how you are raised.

Not at all.
And you know that is not logical
because people still rely on one another.

That is not why it is immoral. By your new logic it is okay as long as you don't need them. And since your deity apparently doesn't need any of us then you think it's okay for him to murder children.

He had knowledge of their entire existence.
We do not. That is why when he flooded the world, it was in keeping with his mystical plan.
But if we are willful in killing we may through free choice bring more suffering.

That's bull**** an all powerful being could have figured out a better solution than killing almost every person.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

an all powerful being could have figured out a better solution than killing almost every person.

The soul is immortal, they are not dead.
Get it?

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

The soul is immortal, they are not dead.
Get it?

1) You can't prove that the soul is immortal.

2) I don't care if it is, it is still ending someones memories and forcing your will onto their life.

3) If your deities best solution is just to murder everyone but a few people when he doesn't like what going on then he's either not omnibenevolant, omnipotent, either, or real.