Reality.

[Aviator]

That kind of comprehension would itself go beyond any reality we are familiar with now. That's almost " super- sentience."

Time will tell what AIs are capable of!

[Gooding]

Time will tell what AIs are capable of!

Time and it's application is a whole other discussion I'll want to get into!

[Gooding]

It all does seem to tie together, somehow. Objective reality will obviously touch subjective experience and we humans kind of symbolize things so they make sense to us. Life connected to death, life forms intimately interconnected with each other and with their biosphere.. There's something out there we're missing, that's all.. science doesn't have all the answers, religion doesn't have all the answers.. mortality isn't necessarily a bad thing if death is necessary to make room for new life on this planet. Life is a beautiful thing, but do we need to make it meaningful for ourselves, or is there an objective meaning just out there that we're just missing?

[HillY35]

It might be the machinations of "coincidental purity," in our religious experiences, which cause us to say, "BINGO!" It's a good side to fight for in one's life.

[Brianna]

There is physical strength.
Then there is mental strength.

Just as top physical strength is rare;
So too is top mental strength rare.

99% of humanity is, by definition, weaker than the rarest breed of highest physical/mental strength.
Perceiving and understanding reality, objectivity, requires the highest mental strength.

This can segue into perception versus reality, especially when our perceptions of reality are shaped by erroneous common knowledge. We'll use your post for an exploration of faulty ideas. You mention both mental strength and physical strength and you mention the upper tier in both categories. A common misconception, bolstered by pop culture and anecdotal stories, is that a person either has "brain" or "brawn". The reality is that smarter people tend to be stronger. However, most people would dispute that, for a variety of reasons. I think this limited example can be expanded into how individuals perceive reality. Common knowledge often gets confused with confirmed facts. The former begins to build on the day we are born and our version of reality is largely dependent on the common knowledge of our family, community, society and country. If you are born into an African village, where it's common knowledge that albinos bring misfortune, you'll accept that erroneous belief (common knowledge) as confirmed fact.

[Neon Knight]

It all does seem to tie together, somehow. Objective reality will obviously touch subjective experience and we humans kind of symbolize things so they make sense to us. Life connected to death, life forms intimately interconnected with each other and with their biosphere.. There's something out there we're missing, that's all.. science doesn't have all the answers, religion doesn't have all the answers.. mortality isn't necessarily a bad thing if death is necessary to make room for new life on this planet. Life is a beautiful thing, but do we need to make it meaningful for ourselves, or is there an objective meaning just out there that we're just missing?

One thing I'm sure of is that for our lives to be meaningful they must go on for ever in some form. If there comes a point when we utterly cease to exist then we might as well never have existed in the first place. Some people say: "We live on through our descendents and the works we leave behind" - err, no we don't! That's nowhere near good enough

[Gooding]

One thing I'm sure of is that for our lives to be meaningful they must go on for ever in some form. If there comes a point when we utterly cease to exist then we might as well never have existed in the first place. Some people say: "We live on through our descendents and the works we leave behind" - err, no we don't! That's nowhere near good enough

That's a very good point! Some part of our consciousness has to survive to continue learning ( so I believe) and to continue growing. If we're here for a blip and then we're gone, what difference will a few generations of descendants make? Does it all boil down to atmosphere ( spirit in some definitions means " breath") and certain intangibles that we humans can just barely perceive?

[Gooding]

This can segue into perception versus reality, especially when our perceptions of reality are shaped by erroneous common knowledge. We'll use your post for an exploration of faulty ideas. You mention both mental strength and physical strength and you mention the upper tier in both categories. A common misconception, bolstered by pop culture and anecdotal stories, is that a person either has "brain" or "brawn". The reality is that smarter people tend to be stronger. However, most people would dispute that, for a variety of reasons. I think this limited example can be expanded into how individuals perceive reality. Common knowledge often gets confused with confirmed facts. The former begins to build on the day we are born and our version of reality is largely dependent on the common knowledge of our family, community, society and country. If you are born into an African village, where it's common knowledge that albinos bring misfortune, you'll accept that erroneous belief (common knowledge) as confirmed fact.

I think part of the reason for that particular perception of either brain or brawn, rather than both brain and brawn has to do with a human conception of " fairness." If you're strong and brilliant, you have a double advantage. That might not be seen as fair. If we were simply Darwinian brutes, we would not have quite the basic moral center most of us have, hence the ability to judge what is fair and what is unfair, who is in harmony with the rest of the universe and who is discordant. As we are essentially herd creatures, we care about society and the best way to keep it running efficiently.

[Neon Knight]

That's a very good point! Some part of our consciousness has to survive to continue learning ( so I believe) and to continue growing. If we're here for a blip and then we're gone, what difference will a few generations of descendants make? Does it all boil down to atmosphere ( spirit in some definitions means " breath") and certain intangibles that we humans can just barely perceive?

We have to embrace the mystery of existence and hope for immortality. And while most of us cannot be certain, I believe there is reason for optimism.

[Brianna]

I think part of the reason for that particular perception of either brain or brawn, rather than both brain and brawn has to do with a human conception of " fairness." If you're strong and brilliant, you have a double advantage. That might not be seen as fair. If we were simply Darwinian brutes, we would not have quite the basic moral center most of us have, hence the ability to judge what is fair and what is unfair, who is in harmony with the rest of the universe and who is discordant. As we are essentially herd creatures, we care about society and the best way to keep it running efficiently.

I think that life is unfair in many ways. FE, I could be a rocket scientist and a top-ranked powerlifter and still have a horrible life due to circumstances beyond my control. I could be a humanitarian, who practices true Christianity, and still get falsely accused of a crime while some "brainless and brawn-less" sadist wins the lottery. Which person would tend to be more envious and resentful?