For conscious minds to exist, the universe must possess an inherent capacity to accommodate them. This suggests that even if evolutionary theories accurately describe the process by which consciousness arose, the universe itself must have possessed the necessary conditions and properties to allow for its emergence. In other words, a universe capable of supporting conscious minds had to pre-exist the actual development of those minds through evolutionary processes. This implies that consciousness is not merely a random byproduct of complex biological systems, but rather a potentiality built into the very fabric of reality.
rick continues- Cryonics proposed that conciousness emerges from biological process. I thought that way for a long time and even thought that consciousness can be locked into a properly preserved brain structure. Since I found Matzke in 2022, however, my original 2019 self-developed musings that potential for conciousness had to precede any possible emergence, I no longer think it can be "caught" or "trapped" in brain-structures like connectomes and dendrites. Cryonics was an interesting trip for me while it lasted from 1978 on finding Ettinger's Prospect fo Immortality to 2023 on finding Russel's Prospects for Eternity, which was consistent with Matzke's Deep Reality and Penfield's work, as well as HSBurr via Russell.
Rick continues-- The one proviso I have not yet dealt with in this blog, yet, forcefully, is the notion that behaviorists don't believe in conciousness as a real "thing". There is a brand of behaviorist that believes we are automatons, the conciousness is an illusion, and that the person, too, is an illusion. I'll refer to C. Evans in "Preserving the Person" 2002 to counter that argument. One more peg to pound into my philosophy involves a notion carried by a buddy who only sources one guru but nonetheless presents a common trope which is that 'we are all one". He doesn't deny conciousness but he DOES deny individuality. There's a scary though. I, on the other hand, want to preserve my individuality, and my personhood as a conscious entity that is more that a behavioral machine.
To accomplish my task, I would go with consciousness as being fundamental and precedent to anything else, as a real 'substance' if you will, a kind of "aether" in the old fashioned physics sense, which was replaced by relativity, apparently-- which I never bought into. I think the "background radiation" is conciousness, and ultimately the entire conciousness of the universe and all creatures and things is connected... and that's what we mean by God. Now I have to find my references for that theory which I have found bits and pieces of over the years but which has been articulated much better than I've done her, for example, by Thomas Campbell in his big theory of everything... as follows..
**Thomas Campbell's My Big TOE Concept of Afterlife:**
* **Core Idea:** Campbell's "My Big TOE" (MBT) presents a simulation-based model of reality. Consciousness is fundamental, and the physical universe is a virtual reality created by consciousness (specifically, by a larger consciousness system called the "Larger Consciousness System" or LCS).
* **Nature of Reality:** Reality is fundamentally informational. Everything is made of information patterns. Consciousness is the primary reality, and the physical world is a subset or projection of consciousness.
* **Individuality & Consciousness:** Individual consciousnesses (Individual Units of Consciousness, or IUCs) are fragments or individuations of the larger LCS. Our sense of self is a constructed identity within the simulation. [rick says-- matzke’s existons]
* **After Death Implications:**
* **Survival of Consciousness:** Consciousness is fundamental, so it doesn't die with the physical body. The "IUC" that animated the physical body persists. [rick says-- with permission, that is, by the spirit guides. The IUC-Rick would be able to reincarnate or take a vacation. An evil IUC would not persist and might be dis-integrated into smaller iuc’s.]
* **Transition to a Non-Physical Reality:** Upon death, the IUC withdraws from the physical simulation and returns to the larger non-physical reality (the LCS). [Rick says- this is what Dorothy saw in her Deathbed Visioning and what others on youtube see when they have their Deathreach and Deathstare. Hospice people did not prep me for this and yet its common. I’ll be ready for mine. Steve Jobs had his and said “oh wow” before dropping dead. I’m glad Dorothy was “shown” what lies beyond in her final weeks so that she had hope. We did not discuss it being the crisis were in but she looked forward to Jesus with a big poster on the wall of him and beside my portrait.]
* **Life Review & Learning:** There's typically a life review process where the IUC analyzes its experiences in the physical simulation, learning from its successes and failures. [rick says- this is consisent with Edgar Cayce, I think Swedenborgen and others too... hopefully I’ll be ready for my own life review. I’m starting it now, actually. This trip should be like a reality tour, not an undefined fog like Catholics think of “heaven” but more like reincarnationists think. As said by Wendy in the movie Peter Pan , dying will be an awfully big adventure. Hopefully I can hold onto that thought.
* **Further Development & Evolution:** The goal of the simulation is to provide opportunities for IUCs to evolve and increase their level of consciousness, love, and understanding. After death, the IUC continues its evolution in the LCS.
* **Reincarnation (Choice-Based):** Reincarnation is a common choice made by IUCs to gain further experiences and opportunities for learning and growth within the physical simulation. IUCs may choose to re-enter the simulation to work through unresolved issues, learn specific lessons, or help others.
* **Key Characteristics:**
* **Simulation Hypothesis:** Reality is a virtual reality created by consciousness.
* **Consciousness as Fundamental:** Consciousness is the primary reality, not a byproduct of physical processes. [This is what materialism gets wrong I think... there’s been a huge revolution in this over the past 50 years.--rick.]
* **Personal Afterlife:** Maintains a sense of personal identity and continuity of consciousness. [this is what Jerry gets wrong, I think. He’s so eastern mystic with Prim Wawa guru that he wants to dissolve into the All and says his persona isn’t worth maintaining. I would disagree and I hope it’s not true for me... since this Reincarnation via modern physics philosopheres like Tom Campbell in My Big TOE,... is my replacement for cryonics. ]
* **Purposeful System:** The afterlife is part of a larger system designed for the evolution of consciousness.
* **Emphasis on Learning & Growth:** The afterlife is a place of continued learning, growth, and development.
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