The Big Questions: What is consciousness?

The philosopher Derek Parfit put it starkly: we are not what we believe ourselves to be.

Actions and experiences are interconnected but ownerless.
A human life consists of a long series - or bundle - of enmeshed mental states rolling like tumbleweed down the days and years, but with no one (no thing) at the centre.

An embodied brain acts, thinks, has certain experiences, and that's all. There is no deeper fact about being a person. The enchanted loom of the brain does not require a weaver.
http://space.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19225780.073&feedId=being-human_rss20

Ive been saying this for years.

We are different people every day.

Brain cells die, and electrical pathways change.
So, the idea that theres a SOUL is nonsense.

I think for our species to survive, we need to throw away these notions of religion
and the soul. If not, it will be our downfall.

We are animals, like other animals on this planet.
We have DNA, tissue, and bone.

At this pointy i have to look at the hypocrisies of the human spirit.
We look at things like "conspiracies" and think how outrageous they are.
We look at things like Aliens and UFO's, and think that one must be crazy to believe in them.
Not to mention one religion looking at another and thinking they are outrageous.

So what is so strong in the human spirit to make us not want to believe whats before our eyes ?
What makes us look at reality and want to see something else ?

I think it has to do with not wanting to take responsibility.
For what you ask ?
For the future of mankind my friend !

Is the human race to survive ?
Well, thats not up to us is it ?
Well, YES, it is.
Many other creatures have perished on this planet, many that have tried to adapt to changes, but at some point , for some reason still didnt make it.

Its very possible that we wont make it either, even IF we learn to live together without killing each other. A meteor could hit us tomorrow wiping the human race off the map.
Its possible too, that before that happens, we could learn to leap into space and develop colonies on other planets.
Just like any other species, its in our nature to survive and procreate...

Brad

god and all