Science says that there is a real world composed of matter/energy and that: “each person is a separate collection of this stuff”.
As to the nature of this ‘stuff’, science agrees that at base (the quantum level), there is no ‘substance’ – just “relations between quantum events”, which are most usually described in the form of mathematical equations – not ‘things’.
However, it is said that at larger scales, these ‘events’ resolve into the ‘things’ that we perceive: ‘hard things’ made of ‘ordinary matter’.
Science attests that: in and of itself, this ‘matter stuff’ is “unfeeling and unknowing” (plain dead). Yet, according to science, some of this stuff becomes aware when it is aggregated as ‘brains’.
In other words, awareness is postulated to arise out of non-awareness: life out of death… a miracle indeed!
It is supposed to work like this:
External stimuli from the real world (eg ‘photons/electro-magnetic radiation’ (ie. light), or ‘odour molecules’, etc) impact on special parts of the body (eg, eyes or nose) creating electro-chemical impulses that travel along the nerves to specific parts of the brain. It is said that the resulting activitiy in the brain gives rise to sensations: colours (seeing), sounds (hearing), flavours (tasting), odours (smelling) and feelings (feeling) inside the brain.
These sensations are meaningless in themselves.
Meaning (knowing) is apparent only when ideas are combined with the sensations to give the impression of a ‘felt reality’ – inside the brain.
Science has no idea how atoms in a brain create and perceive ‘colour’, or any other sensation. And, no wonder!
No one has ever seen, or can ever see, ‘colours’ (or any other sensation) manifesting in a brain in order for any hypothesis to be tested!
All that has ever been observed are apparent traces on apparent instruments that measure postulated electro-chemical impulses in apparent brains!!!!
I said ‘apparent’ traces and ‘apparent’ instruments and ‘apparent’ brains simply because whatever is seen (according to science) is inside the brain.
In this ‘perceived world’, all ‘things’are apparent (without ‘substance’). Just like the ‘dream world’ that seems ‘solid’ while dreaming – but is not. Of course, when dreaming, you are not ‘in the dream’ – the dream is ‘in you’.
And this too is what science asserts: the whole perceptual world is an illusion inside the head.
In so far as science is concerned, the only difference between the ‘perceived world’ and the ‘dream world’, is that the ‘perceived images’ represent a ‘copy’ of the ‘outside world’ and are caused by stimuli from that world. On the other hand, ‘dream images’ are postulated to arise solely from activity in the brain itself.
But ask yourself, how could ‘dead’ atoms (that know nothing of who or what or when or where they are) in some supposed ‘outside world’ interact with dead atoms in a supposed body and brain so as to convey to those dead atoms what the ‘outside world’ looked, smelled, tasted, sounded and felt like?
How could dead atoms in a brain (that can never get outside the head to see or feel anything in the supposed ‘real world’) create these impressions for themselves – if all that exists inside a brain is dead atoms?
How could dead atoms give rise to LIFE: laughter, sorrow, music, friends and enemies – the whole wonderful panorama that is this experience?
Science itself asserts that nothing of the supposed real world can ever be seen or known directly by any one.
According to science, the supposed ‘real world’ is ever beyond the reach of the senses. It cannot be seen or heard or tasted or smelled or felt directly.
Look around. Science says that everything seen and felt is inside your head. Can you locate the head that science says exists? Sorry, it cannot be done.
You may say, I can see it in the mirror. No. If you see it, science says the image is inside the head. If it is inside, it cannot be your head.
Or, what about the feeling of your head in your hands. No again.
Any feeling is inside the brain – according to science. However you may try, you cannot get outside yourself to see who you really are.
This truth is true forever. It is not scientific truth, it is the nature of being.
(Michael)
Michael is a CEO of an Australian company in Melbourne which is engaged in moving freight more efficiently, with less impact on the environment. He corresponds with people by email whenever they feel inclined to ask a question about more spiritual matters. He himself enjoys seeing what arises in response…
Michael’s wonderful essays stem from the forums at the unfortunately switched off site Awakeningtothedream.com
