Comments on: Chapter 6 http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449 George's Hobby Site Thu, 13 May 2010 01:36:33 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: george http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449&cpage=1#comment-1602 george Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:12:39 +0000 http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449#comment-1602 I'm a little late getting back to you. I decided to put off blogging for the Holidays. The neuroscientist seem to feel we do not have free will based upon their data. Our subconscious mind and nervous system is always measured as reponding faster than our conscious mind. I think their conclusion is over simplified. I think we do have free will. Maybe I don't fully understand what they mean by "free will." Can I use myself to determine if I have free will? I have to admit that my personality that was formed as a child is pretty much locked in and very difficult to modify. In the book I wrote to you kids I examined 17 personality traits of mine. (10 from the ALNON meeting you suggested I attend). I probably have not completely elimniated any of the 17 ... but just knowing them has helped me a lot. Do I have erroneous beliefs? Is believing that I have free will an erroneous belief ... only time will tell. I actually do not think I have any significant erroneous beliefs. You however, might be a better judge of that than I am. I’m a little late getting back to you. I decided to put off blogging for the Holidays.

The neuroscientist seem to feel we do not have free will based upon their data. Our subconscious mind and nervous system is always measured as reponding faster than our conscious mind. I think their conclusion is over simplified. I think we do have free will. Maybe I don’t fully understand what they mean by “free will.”

Can I use myself to determine if I have free will? I have to admit that my personality that was formed as a child is pretty much locked in and very difficult to modify. In the book I wrote to you kids I examined 17 personality traits of mine. (10 from the ALNON meeting you suggested I attend). I probably have not completely elimniated any of the 17 … but just knowing them has helped me a lot.

Do I have erroneous beliefs? Is believing that I have free will an erroneous belief … only time will tell. I actually do not think I have any significant erroneous beliefs. You however, might be a better judge of that than I am.

]]> By: Tracey http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449&cpage=1#comment-1589 Tracey Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:29:39 +0000 http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449#comment-1589 What is it that makes generations of people follow the same beliefs? Is there an first- hand experience or perhaps there is a story which is passed down with a strong emotion attached which leads us down the same narrow path? What is it about our feelings? And, our experiences which keep us in a place of the past? There may be someone you know, who experienced being a victim or maybe there is some ridiculous family feud that you have witnessed. This type of contrasting experience (contrasting meaning unwanted) can lead a person to a crossroads, to choose either a forward moving and expanding path or one that is stunted by repeating and reliving the same story from the past. How many people base their beliefs about themselves, about others or some situation, on some experience from the past -- whether it was their own or someone else's? So, what is it about our thoughts and feelings that keep us stuck in an undesired place? How can we move forward into a desired place and leave the past story (which currently supports our belief structure) behind? What is it that makes generations of people follow the same beliefs? Is there an first- hand experience or perhaps there is a story which is passed down with a strong emotion attached which leads us down the same narrow path? What is it about our feelings? And, our experiences which keep us in a place of the past?

There may be someone you know, who experienced being a victim or maybe there is some ridiculous family feud that you have witnessed. This type of contrasting experience (contrasting meaning unwanted) can lead a person to a crossroads, to choose either a forward moving and expanding path or one that is stunted by repeating and reliving the same story from the past. How many people base their beliefs about themselves, about others or some situation, on some experience from the past — whether it was their own or someone else’s?

So, what is it about our thoughts and feelings that keep us stuck in an undesired place? How can we move forward into a desired place and leave the past story (which currently supports our belief structure) behind?

]]> By: george http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449&cpage=1#comment-1587 george Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:41:42 +0000 http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449#comment-1587 I agree with every thing you say Tracey. You and I are full of contrast ... we are not dull. We do not have intractable beliefs. We will change are out look if someone has a better way. What I'm worried about is the erroneous beliefs handed down genearation to generation. The Irish Protestants and Catholics who were taught as little children to distrust each other ... that lasted for 4oo hunderd years! And for some the hate continues. Major Nidal Hasan could turn out to be a great example, if it turns out to be distrust handed down for many generations, that caused him to kill those soldiers. The science of the brain is now on a roll and has the ability to expose erroneous "weird distructive" thinking. The Internet and TV can spread improved thinking across the world with ease. (Well not with not exactly with ease with so much misinformation). The 21st century is so volative with so many things out of control that humans need to put aside "weird" thinking and work together. I agree with every thing you say Tracey. You and I are full of contrast … we are not dull. We do not have intractable beliefs. We will change are out look if someone has a better way. What I’m worried about is the erroneous beliefs handed down genearation to generation. The Irish Protestants and Catholics who were taught as little children to distrust each other … that lasted for 4oo hunderd years! And for some the hate continues.
Major Nidal Hasan could turn out to be a great example, if it turns out to be distrust handed down for many generations, that caused him to kill those soldiers. The science of the brain is now on a roll and has the ability to expose erroneous “weird distructive” thinking. The Internet and TV can spread improved thinking across the world with ease. (Well not with not exactly with ease with so much misinformation). The 21st century is so volative with so many things out of control that humans need to put aside “weird” thinking and work together.

]]> By: Tracey Dugdale http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449&cpage=1#comment-1586 Tracey Dugdale Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:21:57 +0000 http://www.georgedugdale.com/?p=1449#comment-1586 What is the impact of the scientific method on one's creative thinking? Isn't creativity an important aspect of being authentically who we are as humans? "weird" thinking: is something classified as weird based on a person's belief structure? Why do we all have to agree on everything? Isn't the richness of this human experience enhanced by all the contrasting experiences we have. If life was not full of contrast wouldn't it be pretty dull - like looking at a white canvas? My aim is to see the things I don't like and use this contrasting experience to focus on that which I desire. Why put forth energy toward something that is undesirable? Use the contrasts in life to stimulate creativity and leading edge thinking? What is the impact of the scientific method on one’s creative thinking? Isn’t creativity an important aspect of being authentically who we are as humans?

“weird” thinking: is something classified as weird based on a person’s belief structure? Why do we all have to agree on everything? Isn’t the richness of this human experience enhanced by all the contrasting experiences we have. If life was not full of contrast wouldn’t it be pretty dull – like looking at a white canvas? My aim is to see the things I don’t like and use this contrasting experience to focus on that which I desire. Why put forth energy toward something that is undesirable? Use the contrasts in life to stimulate creativity and leading edge thinking?

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