This old chestnut, again

@divegeester said
In science it’s called a brain.

Brain function is a tangible thing, something we can monitor and observe. A person's spirit falls outside of this.

@indonesia-phil saidmple, if an atheist like myself sees a beautiful sunset, I might say that it 'moves my spirit', which seems fair enough to me, but if you object to the 's' word, give us another one which doesn't offend your literary sensibilities.

Do you have a metaphysical spirit?

If you don’t have a metaphysical spirit to move, then saying that the sunset “moved your spirit” is just pseudo-ethereal meaningless waffle describing a nice warm emotional feeling.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Brain function is a tangible thing, something we can monitor and observe. A person's spirit falls outside of this.

Do you have a metaphysical spirit “outside” of your brain ?

@divegeester said
Do you have a metaphysical spirit?

Where in the brain would you locate a person's zest for life?

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Where in the brain would you locate a person's zest for life?

Is that a yes or a no?

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Where in the brain would you locate a person's zest for life?

In their brain.

Are you sure you work in mental health! 😂

@divegeester said
In their brain.

Are you sure you work in mental health! 😂

Could you pinpoint it?

I do not believe we have consciousness outside of ourselves but the human spirit is a far more complicated affair than simple brain function. It is everything we have ever experienced, and I don't just mean memory. Having worked for many years with people with dementia I have seen spirit even when the brain has started to fail. Spirit is the very petrol in our engine, something that can be damaged without any physical injury. It can be broken and lost.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Could you pinpoint it?

I’ll answer then once you’ve told me wether or not you have a metaphysical spirit “outside” of your brain 🧠

😃

@ghost-of-a-duke said
I do not believe we have consciousness outside of ourselves but the human spirit is a far more complicated affair than simple brain function. It is everything we have ever experienced, and I don't just mean memory. Having worked for many years with people with dementia I have seen spirit even when the brain has started to fail. Spirit is the very petrol in our engine, something that can be damaged without any physical injury. It can be broken and lost.

Right, so this is something metaphysical or...not?

@divegeester said
Right, so this is something metaphysical or...not?

Our spirit is contained within ourselves and in how we relate to the world.

@divegeester said
Right, so this is something metaphysical or...not?

This warrants a more thoughtful response.

'I do not believe we have consciousness outside of ourselves but the human spirit is a far more complicated affair than simple brain function. It is everything we have ever experienced, and I don't just mean memory. Having worked for many years with people with dementia I have seen spirit even when the brain has started to fail. Spirit is the very petrol in our engine, something that can be damaged without any physical injury. It can be broken and lost.'

@ghost-of-a-duke said
This warrants a more thoughtful response.

'I do not believe we have consciousness outside of ourselves but the human spirit is a far more complicated affair than simple brain function. It is everything we have ever experienced, and I don't just mean memory. Having worked for many years with people with dementia I have seen spirit even when the brain has started to ...[text shortened]... n our engine, something that can be damaged without any physical injury. It can be broken and lost.'

Haha.

Okay sonship.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Our spirit is contained within ourselves and in how we relate to the world.

But not in our brain?

So where?

@divegeester said
But not in our brain?

So where?

You are trying to simplify something that simply isn't simple. Of course the brain enables the spirit, but it is not something one can point to like a liver or a big toe. Think of spirit in the same way you would think of character or personality, or a sense of humour. Spirit is the source of our individuality.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
You are trying to simplify something that simply isn't simple. Of course the brain enables the spirit, but it is not something one can point to like a liver or a big toe. Think of spirit in the same way you would think of character or personality, or a sense of humour. Spirit is the source of our individuality.

It’s a very simple question I’m asking you, is what you call your spirit something metaphysical or...not?