tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post8864470075155148245..comments2023-03-24T05:41:17.603-07:00Comments on OutsideTheBox: What is Heaven like?Cliff Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08342566023774158670noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post-13969903117455220582010-08-10T10:07:03.862-07:002010-08-10T10:07:03.862-07:00There's a great Radiolab called After Life her...There's a great Radiolab called After Life here: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/<br /><br />No answers, just several thought-provoking stuffs.BrownPantherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04750551800698927926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post-40389362051078177332010-08-09T15:19:31.268-07:002010-08-09T15:19:31.268-07:00Mike,
Tom, who responded after you did, and who i...Mike,<br /><br />Tom, who responded after you did, and who is doing post-grad study in evolutionary sciences, would tell you that, indeed, the development of religion (and the <i>many-varied</i> beliefs about god[s]), can be fully explained by our evolutionary development. And, like you, I do not doubt that it may be so. That fact alone does not invalidate all such beliefs. And I think this is what you are saying ... and I agree.<br /><br />Tom, I like very much that you still read here!Cliff Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08342566023774158670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post-17956091587657666812010-08-09T06:50:44.563-07:002010-08-09T06:50:44.563-07:00Thanks, Cliff.Thanks, Cliff.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15462218340570164741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post-77087185506787158052010-08-08T12:59:36.712-07:002010-08-08T12:59:36.712-07:00Cliff said, “…the state of evolutionary psychology...Cliff said, “…the state of evolutionary psychology today tells us that those things we once attributed to the soul (or spirit, or any immaterial part of man) are increasingly finding material explanations.”<br /><br />I just read a book called "Why Choose This Book? (How We Make Decisions)" and it talks about this kind of stuff. I agree that we may now be closer to explaining “how” things work in our brains (meaning there is nothing mysterious going on concerning things like love, regret, etc.) but it still doesn’t explain “why” things are as they are (Polkinghorne’s teakettle analogy). It seems to me that the more we find out about the physical universe (including our physical selves), the more we see that it may all be explained scientifically. Well, we do live in a physical universe so this would make sense to me. After all, throughout history we’ve learned how things really work and then have dismissed magic, superstition, etc. once we’ve understood stuff scientifically. Now it seems some want to dismiss belief in God, not as one of those superstitious things, but as a byproduct (or something) of the way our brains work. (Note that the author of "Why Choose…" didn’t bring up God at all but I’ve gathered that some other people think this about belief in God.) Perhaps, in some strange way that we don’t or can’t understand, belief in God may work this way in our brains and yet God may still be real. Maybe God “caused” belief in Him to work this way (where belief is a byproduct from eons of evolution).<br /><br />You may think I’m crazy and/or deluded or not even making any sense but I think this is a venue where I can express these things! I’m not sure I’m expressing what I really mean so if you have any questions or want any elaboration let me know.<br /><br />The one thing I keep coming back to is what it means to love your neighbor. Even if love is a result of how our brains evolved, there just seems to be something more to it than that.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post-18807727138812304542010-08-07T22:55:16.050-07:002010-08-07T22:55:16.050-07:00Cliff- No, I have no idea who the writer is, but t...Cliff- No, I have no idea who the writer is, but the similarity is amazing! I thought you'd enjoy browsing through her blog!Like a Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15991265512226039592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post-53498264036190095432010-08-07T21:29:22.427-07:002010-08-07T21:29:22.427-07:00Thank you for posting this. As someone who has als...Thank you for posting this. As someone who has also lost a deep love, your words are welcome and comforting.Irenicumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13409091214695782381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post-53668837007779284002010-08-07T20:31:27.193-07:002010-08-07T20:31:27.193-07:00Thank you for the link. I enjoyed reading her thou...Thank you for the link. I enjoyed reading her thoughts! Are you personally acquainted with the writer of that blog?Cliff Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08342566023774158670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276137109108719911.post-49958985956257487822010-08-07T19:52:29.262-07:002010-08-07T19:52:29.262-07:00Great post. It is so surreal though, thinking tha...Great post. It is so surreal though, thinking that of the neurobiology of memory. Surely there must be something more to this life, as you have described! Check out the post on this blog regarding the afterlife - http://orualundone.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/speculations-on-the-afterlife/Like a Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15991265512226039592noreply@blogger.com