Philosophy Shorts - Episode 3 - States Of Consciousness

This video is the third in a series that offers a perspective on some of the key questions of Philosophy in under 5 minutes.

Entitled 'States Of Consciousness', this video compares different states we commonly experience, looks at lucid dreaming, and asks questions about why we think and dream and move between different states.

The words in the video are taken from PhilosopherSteve's forthcoming book release entitled The Philosophy Of A Mad Man. If you are interested in reading the book, please drop Steve an email via the details in his profile description.

Please comment, like, and subscribe to PhilosopherSteve's channel!

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• philosophy
• consciousness
• states
• reality
• nature
• divisions
• universal
• process
• dreams
• waking
• visualisations
• lucid
• dreaming
• sleep
• REM
• awakening
• spirituality
• God
• being
• life
• mind
• thinking
• action
• night
• power
• mystery
• universe
• miracles

[TheJuliusJT]

horrible, horrible music. Interesting and clear videos.

[PhilosopherSteve]

@TheJuliusJT Thanks for your input Julius :-)

[KDPhilosophy]

Also consider "altered" states of consciousness achieved through meditation, prayer and other similar spiritual practices, They can have similar qualities to "dream states" but happen while a person is conscious and therefore are considered distinct from rem state dreams which only occur while sleeping.

and while on the topic. what of hallucinogenic drugs?

[PhilosopherSteve]

@KDPhilosophy I believe 'altered' states are covered in the States of Mind video. Remember I'm trying to keep all these under 5 minutes so it's not easy to elaborate too much! I could perhaps have mentioned meditative states in the States of Mind video, I'll give you that - although it wouldn't have altered what I had to say on the whole. Thanks for commenting :-)

[KDPhilosophy]

I think saying "god" is doing something is a step passed simple determinism and going into outright puppetry. Mostly becuase I assume that (and correct me if I am wrong) when you say "God" you refer to the western theological, aka the Abramahamic god. and this god is typically viewed as a being whom is strictly outside the self.

Though I don't have total control of my thoughts or dreams, I attribute them as mine becuase I alone experience them,and create them both actively and passively.

[PhilosopherSteve]

@KDPhilosophy Morning KD! But do you create your thoughts? How do you do that? Do you beat your heart? How do you do that? I realise that most Christians believe in free will apart from God, but that doesn't make sense to me - if God is all powerful then surely nothing can be separate from God.

[CymroGoch]

No. Your videos get progressively more arrogant in favour of your 'God'. You start on a faulty premise, who says dreams and thoughts are similar? You? Then you go on to make the same point you made in your previous video; that which we currently do not understand must come from God. Then you go on to make the point that everything that happens must have some sort of philosophical reason. Again, I disagree.

[KDPhilosophy]

@PhilosopherSteve The key to this problem is I am not christian and tend to consider the tri omnigod to be a logical impossibility, even without relying on the problem of evil very heavily. That's not to say I don't have any theistic views, Just that I find Traditional Christianity too cluttered for my tastes

The truth is I don't really know that I control my thoughts, but it is better (for my sanity, for overall utility, and simply becuase I have no reason to feel otherwise) to assume I do

[KDPhilosophy]

@PhilosopherSteve I see that now. I tried to watch these more or less in chronological order :P

[MyFriendLeonard1]

@PhilosopherSteve Yeah, I remember wondering as I watched this: How does he handle the problem of evil?

I transitioned out of virulent atheism into experiential spirituality. So I was throwing up intellectual roadblocks all the way. It was one long spiritual crisis for me. I needed a God who is BLAMELESS. And I was STUMPED until I encountered the general Gnostic concept of God as not the Creator but only the Redeemer. I'm relieved now of deciding what is good and bad. It's ALL bad! It exists.