Me, Myself And I

[nailit]

(wish there was a philosophy section on A.B...)
Is there any such thing as a self? (a me, myself or I...and I'm not referring to De La Souls 1989 hit before any wag gets in there..)
But seriously, Descartes proposition 'I think, therefore I am' seems a little outdated now when we see people in the throes of alzehiemers who become totally different people than the ones we once knew.
Ive been looking in to Buddhism quiet a bit and their contention that the idea of a 'self' is something of an illusion seems to make some sense in that we are an aggregate at any one time (whole formed by combining several separate elements) and that aggregate changes from one moment to the next. I'm not the same person I was 10 yrs ago and the person I was 10 yrs ago was not the same person I was as a child. And the person I will be IN 10 yrs will not be the person I am now.

Is the idea of a 'self' illusory?

[pixie374]

They still don't agree now- but it covers all these sorts of questions. Btw, there is a fao nailit thread for you from mikey x

[nailit]

Really pixie, where?

[Tilly2]

Here, Nailit.

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/Question1545693.html

[pixie374]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/Question1545693.html

[RobNorth]

A friend who was a polite, sensible and rational person became a madman when driving his car, shouting at and giving others the finger etc. so in his case there were two selves, like Jekyll and Hyde.....

[nailit]

//A friend who was a polite, sensible and rational person became a madman when driving his car, shouting at and giving others the finger etc. so in his case there were two selves, like Jekyll and Hyde//

So which 'friend' was being himself?

[Old_Geezer]

Those with dementia may no longer realise they exist, but that does not nullify Descartes statement of proving one exists.

As for illusion, when scientists consider the possibility that we are all part of some virtual "game"; or when they see our existence is equivalent to being a type of "hologram" with the data at the edge of the universe; what isn't an illusion any more ? Anyway can't illusions exist ?

Change doesn't effect self existence. Change is practically the definition of time passing. Of course you aren't a replica of when you were 20 but there appears to be a continuality from that point to this which allows us to recognise the unit which is you.

[Old_Geezer]

By the way, if you're just an illusion, no point in my reading your illusionary threads.

[Old_Geezer]

Both aspects of your friend was hiself. We enter different modes and exhibit different aspects of self at different times. Recall that the conscious mind has less control than most believe. Much is left to the subconscious"subroutines" to fill in details. Pass to the "wrong" one, or if errors occur, then you get a different outward appearance.

[Tilly2]

My teacher in the classroom self was very different from the me at home self. I was less bossy in the classroom.

[nailit]

//Those with dementia may no longer realise they exist,//
But in their own minds they once did exist. Perhaps they do exist (now) exist and you don't!

[nailit]

How do I know that I exist, except as some some kind of aggregate of chemicals and neurons?
My SELF changes from year to year....
and from week to week................

[Old_Geezer]

The moment you add "except" you ruin the argument for non-existence.

[Tilly2]

This is getting beyond me now and I have to bow out.

[nailit]

//This is getting beyond me now and I have to bow out. //
Tilly, I understand that you used to be a teacher?
Ive got memories of asking my teachers things and getting humiliated for asking questions. Never understood what teachers were for tbh if all they did was humiliate you for asking questions that they couldn't answer. Just say I DONT KNOW if you don't know.

[-Talbot-]

This is getting beyond me now and I have to bow out.



That's why I never bothered ntering in the first place.
(I think I am the same person as I was 20-30 years ago)

[nailit]

^^^my head hurts now!!
I think the answer to life, the universe and everything HAS to be ''I don't know''
(if we are honest)

[Mamyalynne]

Often it is easier to relax and just 'be'.