The analysis of mind, matter, and thought

Just wanted to know what people’s thoughts and answers are on this subject. Reading about it is easy enough, but understanding and applying it is a little difficult without ‘bouncing’ it off others.

“Few things are more firmly established in popular philosophy than the distinction between mind and matter. Those who are not professional metaphysicians are willing to confess that they do not know what mind actually is, or how matter is constituted; but they remain convinced that there is an impassable gulf between the two, and that both belong to what actually exists in the world.”

- The Analysis of Mind, by Bertrand Russell


Do you think mind and matter come from the same source or not? How is it possible that they come from the same source (which is my understanding) yet there's a huge gap between the two? Would they not essentially be the same thing, or at least consist of the same thing?

The essence of everything mental is considered ‘consciousness’ either as a relation to objects or as a quality of physical phenomena. Matter is part of consciousness therefore, based on this theory matter would be mental, or created by the mind. This would mean matter is created by thought. Does mind create thought or does thought create mind? Do you think matter could be created by one beings thought’s, or does everyone/everything have to be consciously and/or unconsciously aware of an object or thing in order for it to exist/ become matter? I’ve recently read about Carus and how he formulated the concept of the ‘unconscious’ and Kant’s writing on the “immeasurable field of obscure ideas” but had a hard time finding answers for these questions. Any thoughts or answers on anything above would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Peace

 

^ all mind.
a mirror reflecting a mirror
- shatter them

 

do you really believe that? I've often thought that too. Makes sense

 

believe?
who would be the one believing?

 

Mind is a part of matter. When something is a part of something else, it will change as the other changes. Ie. If you take out the cocoa from a chocolate bar, it will not be a chocolate bar anymore, the 'chocolate bar' will change into a different thing.

Within this logic also lies reason to say that matter and mind are inter changeable or the same thing, in so far as you can alter one with the other and the other with the one. Ie. If you see something that threatens you, you can either physically get rid and resolve the feeling of 'threatened'. Similarly you can achieve the same result through a thought, by changing the mind you can also resolve the feeling of 'threatened'.

The big difficulty I find with asking these questions is that it does little good towards many of the problems we face. Ok sure, everything is one thing - but what if believing this causes you more pain than it does pleasure you. Essentially, where do we benefit from making distinctions and where do these distinctions fail us. Definitely, everything seems to be the same, but I want to eat tomorrow and years later. I have to make a distinction then, in order to achieve this and even though this distinction is arbitrary in the ultimate sense, it has ultimate merit in so far as food is quite the ultimate pleasure.

Life is like this game and shit. Its an adventure and a jail. Its also whatever suits your ultimate pleasure. Its also...It, itself but I want to eat and fuck, so...it isnt.

 

Thanks for the great answer.

 

Yeah it might benefit you to think that way of me.

I was also reviewing that answer and realized that you can alter mind through matter, in the traditional sense, by inducing a drug. Equally through mind itself you can alter matter, in so far as your perspective, a mental faculty, largely affects how the induced drug alters the brain.

 

Self-examination is the worst kind.

 

Yeah, I'm really impressed with your responses in this thread, ChangeHappens. I agree.

 

There's no huge gap between mind and matter. Mind is only matter in a very complex form (at least complex beyond our understanding).

Matter can alter mind, in fact the mind is matter altering itself and/or altered by other matter.

 

Self-examination is the only examination. Even when examining the outside world, you are only able to analyze your perception of it.

As far as mind vs. matter; I consider them both to be pure energy, simply at opposite ends of the vibrational spectrum. They both cyclically presuppose and reconcile each other.