Jack Cummins

I think that your definitions are fairly good, but I just wonder how the unconscious and subconscious fit into the picture, because consciousness is n...

I definitely agree that reading has a large part to play in the process of changing viewpoints. My times of reflection have mostly been spent reading....

I have edited my title to make it more of a philosophy question rather than a psychological one, although it combines the two.

Perhaps we should have some grass sandwiches. When I got put into a situation where I was panicking because I was being expected to cook the supper fo...

Yes, I do think that psychedelic experiences open up interesting perspectives of perception. I experimented briefly with a few substances. One of the ...

You write well, and add interesting little pieces of inspiration to many threads. Thanks for your contribution.

I was just adding to the comment I wrote, that maybe you could come up with one. My threads are maybe becoming a bit repetitive. I was hoping that thi...

So are you saying that I should be formulating questions which are more conceptual? I probably go into areas which are on the edges between philosophy...

I am glad that you can see the angle which I am coming from. Certainly, my life as a student seemed to be an exploration of experience and ideas in co...

I can see that my question may fall more into the scope of psychology rather than philosophy. However, the reason why I raise it is because from my po...

The question of empathy in connection with experience is interesting because it may be that experience of suffering may make people more empathetic. O...

I am thinking of our individual experiences but they take place within a cultural context. So, for example, so many people must have been affected by ...

I have read Jung's ideas on alchemy, as he is about my favourite writer. That was how I first came across the idea of alchemy in the first place, so I...

Thanks for the links to the websites. I had a look at them this afternoon and they are very interesting. I am just finding so much to read that my hea...

I really did have a tutor who thought that life after death might consist in us living eternally as disencarnate entities. However, the whole topic of...

Generally, I agree with your answer, because I am in favour of keeping an open forum. I am not absolutely sure about theism, because it does seem impo...

It is just such an interesting area, about those who emphasise the nonmaterial and those who emphasise naturalism. It interweaves philosophy in the ma...

You are putting together a fantastic site. I appreciate it, and I am sure that many others do too.

I am not really wishing to suggest that theists have a superior knowledge or more peaceful life. Really, I was writing of the godless abyss more as a ...

I am not familiar with John Wheeler's ideas so I don't feel that I can talk about that really, but going back to your reply to my comment, I am curiou...

Your post is interesting and I have just looked at your links, as there does indeed appear to be so much knowledge to be tapped into. In recent weeks,...

One aspect of the questions which I see as an area linking religion and the empirical questions underlying the sciences is anthropology. It is an area...

I have been wondering recently about your question of whether we are the originators of our thoughts, or controlled by forces outside of us. I believe...

What I am about to say will probably have me cast as the madman of the forum, but I don't see the brain as the only source of awareness. I am not sugg...

I think that the mind and consiousness is probably more complex than many believe. I do think it is mysterious but I haven't given up and continue to ...

Generally, I find discussing ideas on this forum, but I am trying to be a bit reserved and cautious about how much I talk about certain ideas, like re...

I believe that you are making an important point when speaking of the way in which there is a danger in becoming confused about certain topics, includ...

Strangely, even though I criticised Plato's cave as having possibly contributed to us looking for an understanding in relation to a divine order, I ha...

I was reading your thread and find it interesting, although I spent some time really thinking about the possibilities of reincarnation and decided it ...

I am sorry if my discussion of peak experiences was not clear to you. I have found your comment during the night, but will write a fuller response tom...

Thanks for the link. I realise that your topic of self-organisation of consciousness is probably slightly out of context in this thread, although I do...

I think that Plato's cave is very interesting in thinking about consciousness, and the grasping for reality. It may be that the cave metaphor has been...

It may not be that clear though because life is not entirely mechanistic. Some people smoke and live to be in their 90s, while others lead a healthy l...

My interest in Bergson's ideas is mainly in connection with Huxley's ideas about mind at large as a filtering down process of a higher level of mind. ...

It seems that you are really saying that we are in pathways of causation arising from our previous choices. In other words, we start out with many cho...

It is probably that certain ideas have been pushed out of the mainstream of philosophy. I have read some but not that much of Bergson on creative evol...

It is interesting that ancient philosophers saw it this way and I am not opposed to the idea of self -organisation of consciousness. It is just so dif...

I understand that you are saying that human consciousness is biased in favour of our emotional. So, are you trying to argue that the peak experiences ...

I think that you have quoted me as @"Apollodorus". I don't mind, so I just hope that he doesn't. Generally, I go along with what I believe the Buddha ...

You have written a very good detailed reply. I have to admit that I struggle with the whole question of qualia. I know that it involves the subjective...

Okay, I will let you get on with whatever you are doing. It has been good interacting, and I am going to carry on reading Huxley's 'The Perennial Phil...

I believe that you are correct to say that we can only control ourselves, and I think this is particularly important when others almost wish to overwh...

I think that the personal ego can be a problem. Actually, my own ego has had so many knocks that it is not particularly powerful, but just enough to k...

I have loads of horrible days, ranging from having disagreements with my housemates, stressful phone conversations and all kinds of other aspects of l...

It's rather funny to me that the thread on loving the Lord and one's neighbour keeps popping up next to this one. While I am not conventionally religi...

I think that your comment is a really good one. We certainly shouldn't become peak experience junkies, or even complacent. I think that it would defea...

I definitely agree that there are reasons why people would not wish to talk about their experiences, especially on a public forum. I am also wary of d...

After discussing it, I am about to play 'The Dark Side of the Moon' because I haven't listened to it for such a long while.

Thanks for recommending the book. I will look out for it.

I am glad that someone else is admitting to having some experiences. I had some unusual experiences. In one, I initially thought I had a fever but the...