Now in thinking about the possibility I can see that if this were so for all consciousness then depending upon when exactly consciousness first 'became' that self aware thing and then found itself still in existence when its body (thus its birthing chamber) died, then it would have had to deal with that.
More importantly, it has therefor had a great deal of time in which to deal with that. Millions of years.
Simply put, they cannot be 'shown' in any other way. What is observed is observed. What is concluded from the observations is questionable.
Because consciousness is able to insist that it does. Imagine a kind of amalgamated consciousness consisting of absolutely every aspect of consciousness which has ever been born into this
universe earth experience. (best keep it local).
That concept alone represents a vast amount of experience and knowledge and data gathered over millions of years.
Lots of time to 'think'.
Now where on earth can consciousness exist independent of a brain?
If the nature of things is that consciousness has always survived the death of the brain, then 'wherever' that might be, consciousness has had millions of years to fine tune even that 'place', just as it has been fine tuning the brain.
What lots of people believe is 'paranormal' (and others call 'woo') are just as likely messages sourced in the ancient networks that consciousness has spent all its millions of years of existence developing.
The postulation is directly linked with the data of experience which occurs to individual consciousnesses. Those who experience such things (non normal things) may not understand what is going on, may assign incorrect agency upon the source of what they are experiencing or may accept that they have brain 'problems' - especially if they assign evil/malevolence/a liar/etc as the source and are then told that 'it is your brain, and medication can help stop that from occurring'.
They are grateful for the meds if it means the scary visions will cease.
'Silly' is obviously in the eye of the beholder. I find your statement quite silly for it obviousness.
However I am not arguing from that approach, but rather from the fact that consciousness exists and if it did not we wouldn't be doing this.
We wouldn't be doing anything.
You saying the brain made that possible is beside the point because it makes no difference.
It is like saying that your mother birthed you therefore without her you are nothing.
Whereas I am referring to the 'big me' as not the brain, but an aspect of consciousness which is doing things 'little me; is unaware of.
Those brain things (which I think you might be referring to) I regard as more automations. Not thinking. Doing.
The 'big me' aspect is very aware and able to communicate its awareness. What it is, how it is related, many many things.
The
brain cannot do that. Only consciousness can.
To what degree is consciousness able to manipulate neurons? Is what being observed only observable when consciousness is participating? Is the brain in control of consciousness? Such questions can be answered differently depending upon the approach being taken by the one doing the questioning.
Now an estimate of
353,015 consciousnesses are born on this planet each day.
That is a lot of brains hatching consciousnesses, each day.
250,000 - 300,000 people die per day.
Now regardless of the exact number, there is a large population of individual consciousnesses dying each day and if indeed these all survive the death of the brain quite naturally, then this represents rather large additions to the 'pool' of consciousness going through that process
every day.
The only link between the two states (the living in bodies newly born consciousnesses and the 'afterlife' consciousnesses ) seems to be 'the big me' (which you claim is the brain) and this is where all concepts of god ideas and afterlife can be sourced.
I can understand people can have non ordinary experiences which propel them to even think on the possibility of such ideas as afterlife and god might be the case as to why they do, but I have to draw the line that it is the brain doing the non ordinary stuff. I am not saying that it isn't a useful tool in that regard, but that of itself it has no reason (or ability to reason) why it should compile non ordinary experience and invoke these upon the little me.
Whatever is doing so
is conscious and purposeful. I can then ask 'why?' because there is reason behind it. Removing the bias either way in relation to little me's beliefs for or against the idea of afterlife I am left to conclude that big me simply wants little me to know that there is more than meets the eye.
For a start, there is more to little me than little me was previously aware of.
No - a 'brain' cannot do those things. Obviously there is consciousness involved. This is also where concepts of 'higher self' etc derive.
Unfortunately when anyone assigns agency (in this case 'woo') to the process, they are less inclined to want to investigate and this may be a natural fear. 'Woo' itself implies 'mentally imbalanced' and as such is not a good position to be in, especially in regard to the materialist position.
There is adequate reason to approach cautiously because it is evident that mental health issues are predominant among 'woo' in relation to 'god' telling them to do this or some kind of evil suggestion, voices in the head, aliens, spirits, etc and they too have assigned agency to these things, (the devil, demons etc) so the materialist avoids and explains 'the brain did it!' etc whereas the more curious/less fearful can approach with suitable precaution and with science and without the need to be assigning any agency (including 'the brain' ) in the preliminary stages of investigation.
If this 'thing' can speak for itself, then let it do so or continue to ignore it or assign improper and assumptive agency to it.
Ultimately little me gets to choose.
