Brain Is A Concept

[momo]

what Leo means by saying brain is a concept ?

[Max_V]

You have not seen your own brain before ( unless you had a open brain surgery) So that means that it's a concept to you

Everything you haven't directly experienced is a concept or belief

[Shin]

2 hours ago, momo said:

what Leo means by saying brain is a concept ?

As much as a concept as you thinking the earth is round, or that the world war 2 happened.

It's data in your mind, you don't actually know if it's true, same for your brain.

It's "common sense" (society/culture) that tells you that, there is no evidence in your direct experience that's true.

[momo]

@Shin isn't that extreme skepticism ? I mean somethings are surely obvious ! 

[The White Belt]

But what if we can't perceive our brains in our direct experience because it is CREATING our direct experience? We can't see our eyes either. 

[Leo Gura]

You haven't experienced extreme skepticism until you've doubted whether existence even exists, never mind your "brain".

When your skepticism causes the floor under your feet to disappear and you tumble into the gap, that's when you know you're on the right track

[Leo Gura]

53 minutes ago, The White Belt said:

it is CREATING our direct experience

Or so you believe.

[The White Belt]

@Leo Gura I don't believe it, but we have to do better than 'we aren't the brain because we can't experience it. I can't experience my cheekbone either but that doesn't mean the cheek bone isn't there..!

[How to be wise]

2 minutes ago, The White Belt said:

@Leo Gura I don't believe it, but we have to do better than 'we aren't the brain because we can't experience it. I can't experience my cheekbone either but that doesn't mean the cheek bone isn't there..!

And that's just another thought, and a feeling in your body which you interpret as 'certainty'. Be concious of the fact that all your beliefs that you think are correct is just an image in your head, and a tingly sensation in your body! 

[The White Belt]

@How to be wise If i'm going to get to the true nature of what I am, I can't just get to something as significant as my BRAIN and say 'can't see that, so... yeah, that's nothing to do with me'. It's obvious that i'm not my arm, or my leg, or my hair, or anything like that. It's not so obvious about my brain. Self-inquiry isn't going to be that effective unless there is anything a lot more concrete saying i'm not my brain other than I simply can't see it.

[How to be wise]

Just now, The White Belt said:

@How to be wise If i'm going to get to the true nature of what I am, I can't just get to something as significant as my BRAIN and say 'can't see that, so... yeah, that's nothing to do with me'. It's obvious that i'm not my arm, or my leg, or my hair, or anything like that. It's not so obvious about my brain. Self-inquiry isn't going to be that effective unless there is anything a lot more concrete saying i'm not my brain other than I simply can't see it.

When you think that you're the brain, be conscious of the fact that what's actually happening is an image in your head, and a tingly sensation in your body. 'You' are actually the one who is looking at that image and feeling that sensation. So just ask yourself, who is looking at that image, and who is feeling that sensation. 

[Dodo]

5 minutes ago, The White Belt said:

@How to be wise If i'm going to get to the true nature of what I am, I can't just get to something as significant as my BRAIN and say 'can't see that, so... yeah, that's nothing to do with me'. It's obvious that i'm not my arm, or my leg, or my hair, or anything like that. It's not so obvious about my brain. Self-inquiry isn't going to be that effective unless there is anything a lot more concrete saying i'm not my brain other than I simply can't see it.

Brain doesn't exist, only your experience of brain exists

[momo]

@Dodo if the brain doesn't exist, what's neurology all about then ?

[Shin]

12 minutes ago, momo said:

@Dodo if the brain doesn't exist, what's neurology all about then ?

There is a brain, we're just saying that's not what you essentially are.

Think about it for a while, if you were the brain, you will literally believe everything it says.
Except you can be the observer of your own thoughts and not act on them, even when they scream you to do something.

If you didn't experience this, well of course you believe you're the brain, since it's what you're experiencing.

 

 

[Guest username]

@momo @The White Belt Ask deeper. Does  physical reality exist? What even are "you"?

[Guest username]

@Shin I am not saying one is a brain, but I am not sure that's a good argument.

I don't  know enough about the brain to say whether or not it could be capable of metacognitive thought based on our current collective understanding.

You however can demonstrate to yourself that you are not the brain by just focusing on direct experience and also inquiring about what a self even is. 

I think making neuroscientific assumptions like that would only complicate and mislead.

[Guest username]

@The White Belt Self-inquiry is a lot more subtle than that. You are conceptualizing it. Just start with the axiom that direct experience will bring insight and see where it takes you.

If you are hung up, try your hand instead of your brain. Notice that "I have a hand" is a conceptualization. All distinctions are limited representations of what actually is. Your job in this work is to become more mindful of that, then that will open you up to insights that you simply couldn't fathom at lower levels of awareness. It's like you're approaching a horizon only to find a new horizon that was once beyond your view.

Edited August 13, 2017 by username

[Ramu]

@Shin Well, that's why the concept of naive realism is so fascinating.  After all, all we have I'd what's here right now.  Everything else is a concept.