Posted by lil' jimi on September 5, 2003, at 13:59:32
In reply to re: neurotheology - lil'jimi rimpoche, posted by habbyshabit on September 4, 2003, at 22:35:39
hey Habby !
it is special to me that you found us over here ... because the article, to me, is so You ... i think about you when i even think about the article ... ... you know what i mean?
you wrote me:
> Hey Jimbo,
>
> I'd vote for this being on the faith board too. Surprised by Dr. Bob's response. Oh well, You sure are getting more replies then if it had been on faith. There is more then one way to get the "word" out, eh? >you know, you make an excellent point!
... some folks shirk that ol' Faith board like they're shirking going to church or something
... ... being at Social is like going public ...
... HA!
... and i LOVED your selection and digest here:> The following are the pargraphs from that long article that pretty much said it all for me. So for those who didn't read the link - here is the short of it.
>
>
> "Remembrances of pies past (Grandma's kitchen, the corner bake shop ...) activate association cortices. A neuroscientist with too much time on his hands could undoubtedly produce a PET scan of "your brain on apple pie." But that does not negate the reality of the pie. "The fact that spiritual experiences can be associated with distinct neural activity does not necessarily mean that such experiences are mere neurological illusions," Newberg insists. "It's no safer to say that spiritual urges and sensations are caused by brain activity than it is to say that the neurological changes through which we experience the pleasure of eating an apple cause the apple to exist."
>
> "The bottom line, he says, is that "there is no way to determine whether the neurological changes associated with spiritual experience mean that the brain is causing those experiences ... or is instead perceiving a spiritual reality."
>
>
> "Those most open to mystical experience tend also to be open to new experiences generally. They are usually creative and innovative, with a breadth of interests and a tolerance for ambiguity (as determined by questionnaire)."
>
>
> "it is likely that they will never resolve the greatest question of all-namely, whether our brain wiring creates God, or whether God created our brain wiring. Which you believe is, in the end, a matter of faith."
>
> Or, as in my case - a lack of faith! >that's wonderful! ... it's even better with your context!
> Thanks for that link Jim, it was fascinating. >
i think i may depend on you to know just how very much i enjoyed providing it to you ... ... it's made me happy!
i'd love to hear more of your thoughts about it ... ... i find it validating of the spiritual perspective as it is of the physicalist perspective ... ... no ?
... ... you know, what with Faith's requirement we be supportive of everybody's faith(s) ... ... this should be a better venue for your "i have lack-of-faith" type subject(s) ... ... it has to be less touchy here about people's religious sensitivities, albeit still within the bounds of civility ... ... and the foot traffic is much better ...
... figure if we were to get too 'faith-y', we'd get kicked back into church ... er, i mean Faith ?
... ... HA !peace,
~ jim
poster:lil' jimi
thread:256893
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030829/msgs/257324.html