Dear Pericles,

<<Why must we make such a distinction - what is your rationale for doing so?>>

The contents are objectively verifiable, some at least, possibly all, but the fact that you are actually subjectively aware of all that is not verifiable. Whatever laboratory/behavioural observation others make about your body/mind (to be absolutely accurate, what they believe to be YOUR body/mind), could occur both with or without your being conscious through that body/mind.

<<The "me" is completely contained within those electrical impulses, and nowhere else.>>

Possibly so, your concept of "me" could well be contained within those electrical impulses, but I wasn't referring to 'The "me"': I was referring to YOU.

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Dear Poirot,

<<Even as a concept?>>

Concepts of God exist, no doubt, probably almost as many as the number of people on earth, excluding babies, yet God is not a concept - neither are you!

It was a serious question, Yuyutsu, and I was hoping that you might treat it as such.

On what logical grounds are you able to separate the workings of the brain, and the mind? Are they in fact distinguishable entities, or are they just a convenient fiction, in order to introduce the idea of a soul, a spirit, a psyche or whatever as the differentiating factor.

The mere fact that we are aware of differences between ourselves and others, and are capable of independent thought, is surely insufficient. This could just as easily be the result of those electrical impulses, processing inputs from the world at a higher rate than other animals.

After all, some animals are also capable of making progress towards this self-awareness. A dog can recognise the name it is given, for example, even when used by a stranger.

My point is that this presumed difference between body and mind has been exploited by charlatans throughout the ages to promote a particular agenda. And it is an assumption that we seem to have swallowed, hook line and sinker, when it is nothing more than vanity.

>>I wasn't referring to 'The "me"': I was referring to YOU.<<

And I am saying that there is no difference whatsoever between "me" and "ME".

Dear Pericles,

<<On what logical grounds are you able to separate the workings of the brain, and the mind?>>

I'm not even attempting to do that.

<<Are they in fact distinguishable entities, or are they just a convenient fiction, in order to introduce the idea of a soul, a spirit, a psyche or whatever as the differentiating factor.>>

I understand that you are seriously interested in this question, but I'm so sorry, I don't know the answer.

<<The mere fact that we are aware of differences between ourselves and others, and are capable of independent thought, is surely insufficient.>>

I agree. It tells nothing about the relationship between body/brain and mind.

Actually, I don't even know whether we are capable of independent thought and actually also, there is no difference between ourselves and others - that's just a distortion of reality that we experience, but whether this distortion in our consciousness occurs in the brain or in the mind, or in both which are the same, I have no clue.

<<This could just as easily be the result of those electrical impulses, processing inputs from the world at a higher rate than other animals.>>

Yes, it could.

<<After all, some animals are also capable of making progress towards this self-awareness. A dog can recognise the name it is given, for example, even when used by a stranger.>>

Recognition is not self-awareness. Recognition may occur in robots too and can be verified objectively, self-awareness cannot.

<<My point is that this presumed difference between body and mind has been exploited by charlatans throughout the ages to promote a particular agenda.>>

As I said, I don't know whether there is a difference between body and mind. Charlatans throughout the ages have also exploited people's romantic and familial love, people's labour, people's money, people's generosity and people's loyalty - but would you stop all those as a result?

<<And I am saying that there is no difference whatsoever between "me" and "ME".>>

One is in small letters, the other in capitals, both are in quotes and both are concepts. You are neither of those.

Yuyutsu,

So "I'M God"...and yet I don't exist?

(and I'm not talking about my material self)

Does my consciousness exist?

Does my consciousness that you think I'm God exist?

We seem to be in some kind of strange accord here, Yuyutsu.

>>I agree. It tells nothing about the relationship between body/brain and mind.<<

I say strange, because I cannot detect from what you write, any actual thought pattern that is in any way consistent. Perhaps your thinking is of a different quality to mine.

Or maybe you don't actually have a clue, and are just employing a lot of words to disguise that fact.

These are your most recent contributions that led me to the latter option:

>>I wasn't referring to 'The "me"': I was referring to YOU... One is in small letters, the other in capitals, both are in quotes and both are concepts. You are neither of those.<<

The question remains, why did you (or even "YOU") choose to employ capital letters for the personal pronoun, if you don't have any explanation as to why you do so? Putting random words together in a sentence does not indicate any genuine attempt at coherent thought.

Sells, I have a slight problem. I think this thread is where it can be solved.

You see, my left leg thinks it has a soul. It is telling me it wants to walk off and have a separate life from me and, when it dies, it doesn't want to be associated with me which will leave me legless in Heaven.

Now look, I realize that you think that I must have been giving my leg a hard time. The truth is that, in our youth, my leg and I played soccer but not very well. My leg sometimes let me down and when it kicked the ball, it went wonky which caused to me score most goals for the other side much to my embarrassment.

Now my dilemna is: should I have my left leg amputated, kind of like set it free in a surgical divorce? Does my leg have property rights or any claim to my children? Would a wooden leg be able to claim against me at a latter stage say after two years of time together?

The sole of my left leg is at odds with the soul of my leg and insults like 'heel' and 'bunion features' are being tossed around. It really is becoming quite untidy.

Sells, look within your book of magical tricks and give me your best guess as to what to do. Do legs have a soul? Is there a special place in the sky for left legs? What about right legs?

I await your advice and hope it gets here before my hamstring gets anymore fancy ideas!