TLDR
I'd like this to remain in religion philosophy, as the metaphysical arguments (I believe) are valid, and the implications (Does God exist if this is valid? What religions or doctrines may support the idea?) may lead to some interesting discussions.
It seems fair to qualify the observable world into two key aspects, of matter, and of energy. The absence of either- the true void of space beyond the reaches of the cosmos -is a little tricky for me to grasp, so I'll side table 'emptiness' or 'extension' for now if I may.
What's curious to me, is the way in which matter and energy interact. I am toying with the idea that matter is actually nothing more than a compressed, orderly, systematic expression of energy. Here are some of my considerations.
If matter and energy (everything from heat to force) were completely separate in aspect, how would they be able to affect one another? The key apex of this question, for me, is the mind body interface. We have our memories, our ability to reason, our ability to learn, and our ability to cognize, and though they are all certainly large dollar items (so to speak) I don't think any one can be given the title of 'the seat of the self'. The temptation to simply assign the self to the brain is very evident, but this causes other points of conflict in my current understandings.
If the self is of the physical world, being within the brain- then brain damage would kill the self, and the continuation of the self beyond death is a completely null prospect. These things, I can accept- were the brain indeed the seat of the self; it would be evident. However, an individual will not stop identifying themselves AS themselves (assuming capacity to do so) regardless of damage to brain or memory or even drastic events that change the personality. As it seems reasonable to assume that the self is a purely internal construct, then claiming "I am me" is never ever wrong, no matter how many other people say otherwise. I think the ability to distinguish "I" is really all that is necessary, and drawing a line to a part in the brain where that occurs is somewhat tricky. IF (all caps if) it were found- could it be removed? Could it be transplanted? To what effect? I can only speculate.
Moreover, there seems to be things beyond the physical which we have nevertheless grasped/constructed/cognized and communicate upon. Mathematics, for example. Now, you may show me 'one' or '1' or 'I', but all of these are simple representations of a concept. The difference between a subjectively particular "that" and a universally objective "one" are hugely divided. If we can only reproduce or modify the physical world, then drawing unique concepts would seem very unlikely.
Now, I'll grant, in the absence of the human mind- physics wouldn't break down. That asteroid that took the T Rex and her ken was no less effective because there weren't minds around calculating the ballistics of the impact. I think I will stop with math and await responses- rather than delve into metaphysics or the virtues. So, instead, let me say this: the effects of mathematics are observable- the functions of it- we can see the patterns of math in everything from sunflowers to the universe's spin, but there seems something a few steps beyond being locked into a physical expression for the mind to be able to understand the concepts beyond the observable, break them into basic compounds, and rebuild wholly new systems for the purposes of speculation and prediction. Engineering, to me, is a type of magic- in that you are taking something totally non tangible, non observable- and based only on the merit of its own self supplied strength, can create the ratios and relationships necessary to create a desired outcome. Not alone, of course, somebody still better build the thing; but your ten thousand attempts without math against my handful with it to see who can build the taller building.
I steer the conversation this way- away from the self/mind/body interaction, because it very well may be a complete red herring. Not intentionally, but I suppose that all the above could be a complete side issue from the question of if matter and energy are the same, in which case I apologize for my digression. What we have the capacity to conceive may not have any bearing on the situation/question at hand, so I'll start from a separate start line.
If matter, was matter, was matter- then it causes me some heart burn to understand. Firstly, we have shown that energy may be derived from matter- fission and fusion most notably. Further, as we split the atom and find that it is mostly space with smaller things inside held together by energy. We further split those things to again find: mostly space, with few components, held together by energy. What strikes me as odd, is how qualities of matter are also being stripped away. All the fuzzy math that occurs at the quantum level seems in stark contrast to the otherwise seemingly consistent universe. "Matter shouldn't be gaining fantastic properties as it's striped down to its root components"- seems reasonable in ignorance (I'm no doctor)- but the qualities of energy seem to be rooted up more and more. Further, matter seems to display qualities of energy under the proper circumstances.
Side note: As far as I can tell, the qualities are: matter does not interact with other matter unless under the influence of some sort of energy, where as energy seems to be completely unbound in its interaction and activity unless bound or restricted by matter.
So, matter can retain force in the form of inertia, seemingly to take on the quality of energy. Similarly, there are those interesting in-between things, such as light and electricity- and what really makes me Middly (mind-giggly
) is how pressure both creates heat and directly affects the qualities of heat matter interaction; and gravity. Time dilation is fun too.
"I simply cannot abide a man with the lack of imagination to spell a word only one way" ~Mark Twain inspired (Modified to meet ToS)
I'd like this to remain in religion philosophy, as the metaphysical arguments (I believe) are valid, and the implications (Does God exist if this is valid? What religions or doctrines may support the idea?) may lead to some interesting discussions.
It seems fair to qualify the observable world into two key aspects, of matter, and of energy. The absence of either- the true void of space beyond the reaches of the cosmos -is a little tricky for me to grasp, so I'll side table 'emptiness' or 'extension' for now if I may.
What's curious to me, is the way in which matter and energy interact. I am toying with the idea that matter is actually nothing more than a compressed, orderly, systematic expression of energy. Here are some of my considerations.
If matter and energy (everything from heat to force) were completely separate in aspect, how would they be able to affect one another? The key apex of this question, for me, is the mind body interface. We have our memories, our ability to reason, our ability to learn, and our ability to cognize, and though they are all certainly large dollar items (so to speak) I don't think any one can be given the title of 'the seat of the self'. The temptation to simply assign the self to the brain is very evident, but this causes other points of conflict in my current understandings.
If the self is of the physical world, being within the brain- then brain damage would kill the self, and the continuation of the self beyond death is a completely null prospect. These things, I can accept- were the brain indeed the seat of the self; it would be evident. However, an individual will not stop identifying themselves AS themselves (assuming capacity to do so) regardless of damage to brain or memory or even drastic events that change the personality. As it seems reasonable to assume that the self is a purely internal construct, then claiming "I am me" is never ever wrong, no matter how many other people say otherwise. I think the ability to distinguish "I" is really all that is necessary, and drawing a line to a part in the brain where that occurs is somewhat tricky. IF (all caps if) it were found- could it be removed? Could it be transplanted? To what effect? I can only speculate.
Moreover, there seems to be things beyond the physical which we have nevertheless grasped/constructed/cognized and communicate upon. Mathematics, for example. Now, you may show me 'one' or '1' or 'I', but all of these are simple representations of a concept. The difference between a subjectively particular "that" and a universally objective "one" are hugely divided. If we can only reproduce or modify the physical world, then drawing unique concepts would seem very unlikely.
Now, I'll grant, in the absence of the human mind- physics wouldn't break down. That asteroid that took the T Rex and her ken was no less effective because there weren't minds around calculating the ballistics of the impact. I think I will stop with math and await responses- rather than delve into metaphysics or the virtues. So, instead, let me say this: the effects of mathematics are observable- the functions of it- we can see the patterns of math in everything from sunflowers to the universe's spin, but there seems something a few steps beyond being locked into a physical expression for the mind to be able to understand the concepts beyond the observable, break them into basic compounds, and rebuild wholly new systems for the purposes of speculation and prediction. Engineering, to me, is a type of magic- in that you are taking something totally non tangible, non observable- and based only on the merit of its own self supplied strength, can create the ratios and relationships necessary to create a desired outcome. Not alone, of course, somebody still better build the thing; but your ten thousand attempts without math against my handful with it to see who can build the taller building.
I steer the conversation this way- away from the self/mind/body interaction, because it very well may be a complete red herring. Not intentionally, but I suppose that all the above could be a complete side issue from the question of if matter and energy are the same, in which case I apologize for my digression. What we have the capacity to conceive may not have any bearing on the situation/question at hand, so I'll start from a separate start line.
If matter, was matter, was matter- then it causes me some heart burn to understand. Firstly, we have shown that energy may be derived from matter- fission and fusion most notably. Further, as we split the atom and find that it is mostly space with smaller things inside held together by energy. We further split those things to again find: mostly space, with few components, held together by energy. What strikes me as odd, is how qualities of matter are also being stripped away. All the fuzzy math that occurs at the quantum level seems in stark contrast to the otherwise seemingly consistent universe. "Matter shouldn't be gaining fantastic properties as it's striped down to its root components"- seems reasonable in ignorance (I'm no doctor)- but the qualities of energy seem to be rooted up more and more. Further, matter seems to display qualities of energy under the proper circumstances.
Side note: As far as I can tell, the qualities are: matter does not interact with other matter unless under the influence of some sort of energy, where as energy seems to be completely unbound in its interaction and activity unless bound or restricted by matter.
So, matter can retain force in the form of inertia, seemingly to take on the quality of energy. Similarly, there are those interesting in-between things, such as light and electricity- and what really makes me Middly (mind-giggly
) is how pressure both creates heat and directly affects the qualities of heat matter interaction; and gravity. Time dilation is fun too."I simply cannot abide a man with the lack of imagination to spell a word only one way" ~Mark Twain inspired (Modified to meet ToS)
