Quote:
Originally Posted by CraigS
Hmm … you mean like parents imprinting their own values, beliefs and philosophies upon their offspring ?
Yep … its real … it happens … and it can be really annoying for the offspring!
As Bert would say, (apologies here Bert .. couldn't resist it … just having some fun), its all about the survival of those selfish 'genes, (and the thinking which emerges from them), … survival of the fittest ones ! The ones best suited to adapt to the battle for survival in present-day environments, will be the ultimate winners !
The offspring go on to be influenced by the environmental conditions of their generation .. and ultimately, selectively ignore some of the values of the previous generation ... because the environment has changed.
Different thinking is required to survive (again) !
So, Bojan: Why is it so important for the software to be an exact duplicate and for the information to be preserved precisely ?
(Be careful to not let that Guinness take out too much of it, either.  )
Cheers |
Not necessarily Craig though I'm certain our experiences have been shaped by our parents from an early age and therefore the function of the mind swayed by what they believe but there comes a point where we become an independent being. The DNA carried down through birth would of course have an influence on a person but that is more genetic and physical and perhaps not so much to do with the mind philosophically.
What I meant by my statement is that if a person were to somehow lose all memory of themselves and everything else that had happened in their lives, characteristics still remain that make them who they are, no matter if they don't know themselves. "Gut feeling" for instance or certain integral morals and emotions that shape a person, all come from the brain and the way in which it is used. Is the person more likely to think with the left hemisphere of the brain or right. Are these differences programmed at birth or are they shaped by experience?
If they are shaped by experience then I suppose rebirth would indeed be like starting again from scratch, with no physical stimuli to shape who "they" become but if it is shaped by the formation of the brain in the womb, then it seems a possibility that if a person were reborn with similar or the same physical characteristics (perhaps with exterior changes) then their brain would produce the same reactions to emotion, thought and processes.
I hope this makes some form of sense and that I'm not rambling for nothing. I am enjoying this discussion thoroughly. It is great to talk with such intelligent people about such thought provoking things.