If everything has a "soul"....

[rev0lver]

Maybe souls do not belong here, but in the after life.


Maybe Dark Souls.

That's racist.

Also racist question - why do like all "true" ghost stories involve white people? Why don't black people get haunted?

 

[ENDeverMORE]

Just though about that for a minute. Realised no one's even thought of using Dino ghosts as a main threat of a horror b-movie.

 

[Relaxedstate]

Dinosaurs were better at exorcisms than people are. Thus we have more ghosts. Duh

 

[SaltShaker]

You only see dinosaur ghost if you practice Dinosaurism, which none of you do.

 

[WaywardStranger]

elaborate...

Consciousness is simultaneously the reason we see ghosts and the reason why we do not generally see the ghosts of dinosaurs.

If you're interested in the subject: for non-fiction read Being No One by Thomas Metzinger, for fiction read Blindsight by Peter Watts. DO NOT READ either book if you're prone to depression or suicidal thoughts.

 

[Rickyraws]

That's racist.

Also racist question - why do like all "true" ghost stories involve white people? Why don't black people get haunted?

Black people don't announce their presence. They dip

 

[TKB]

to answer your question






42

Ok this is hilarious and whoever gets this reference, you are awesome.

To answer the OP, I have personally seen animal spirits. Even have a picture of one. If I can find it I'll scan and post it for you.

 

[Peckapowa]

Consciousness is simultaneously the reason we see ghosts and the reason why we do not generally see the ghosts of dinosaurs.

If you're interested in the subject: for non-fiction read Being No One by Thomas Metzinger, for fiction read Blindsight by Peter Watts. DO NOT READ either book if you're prone to depression or suicidal thoughts.

explain more.. please... this is not thorough enough... because the fact that i am conscious is the only reason i am aware that i see anything... like a spoon or a washtowel. And to say a dinosaur or a reptile isn't necessarily true.

 

[TKB]

No one has ever seen, or will ever see, a ghost/spirit.

I have personally had multiple encounters with what we call ghosts. I'm not crazy. I'm not lying or making it up.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but until you experience it first hand, you just don't know.

 

[PaletteSwap]

You only see dinosaur ghost if you practice Dinosaurism, which none of you do.

Jeff Goldbum sees dinosaur ghosts everyday.

#lifefindsaway

 

[Juggs]

Joking aside, I obviously don't believe there is souls. I think it's just one more things humans have imagined. There's no evidence to suggest otherwise. However, what I do believe in is energy. Energy is neither created nor destroyed. Once we exist, I believe some part of us will always exist. To what degree and in what context I am uncertain.

So, the traditional idea of a ghost isn't just something I don't believe exists, I don't believe it can exist.

 

[WaywardStranger]

Consciousness is an illusion created by highly complex pattern recognition hardware and software.

It makes sense that people see ghosts because a powerful imagination was highly useful tool for our ancestors. Likewise, our brains never come into contact with man-eating reptiles (save crocs and gators), and thus our brains have little to no evolutionary incentive to conjure reptilian spectres.

Seriously dude, if you like to read and really want elaboration, read fucking Blindsight by Peter Watts. Its a kick-ass first contact story interspersed with mind-blowing scientific dialogue on the subject of consciousness and the coolest take on vampires you'll ever hear. Here's a sample, on consciousness:

“Evolution has no foresight. Complex machinery develops its own agendas. Brains — cheat. Feedback loops evolve to promote stable heartbeats and then stumble upon the temptation of rhythm and music. The rush evoked by fractal imagery, the algorithms used for habitat selection, metastasize into art. Thrills that once had to be earned in increments of fitness can now be had from pointless introspection. Aesthetics rise unbidden from a trillion dopamine receptors, and the system moves beyond modeling the organism. It begins to model the very process of modeling. It consumes evermore computational resources, bogs itself down with endless recursion and irrelevant simulations. Like the parasitic DNA that accretes in every natural genome, it persists and proliferates and produces nothing but itself. Metaprocesses bloom like cancer, and awaken, and call themselves I.”

Peter Watts, Blindsight​

 

[TopTierHarley]

That's racist.

Also racist question - why do like all "true" ghost stories involve white people? Why don't black people get haunted?

Because we move, we don't have time to confront that bullshit lol

 

[True Grave]

I want to speak to the devil, but that's not happening.

 

[Peckapowa]

Consciousness is an illusion created by highly complex pattern recognition hardware and software.

It makes sense that people see ghosts because a powerful imagination was highly useful tool for our ancestors. Likewise, our brains never come into contact with man-eating reptiles (save crocs and gators), and thus our brains have little to no evolutionary incentive to conjure reptilian spectres.

Seriously dude, if you like to read and really want elaboration, read fucking Blindsight by Peter Watts. Its a kick-ass first contact story interspersed with mind-blowing scientific dialogue on the subject of consciousness and the coolest take on vampires you'll ever hear. Here's a sample, on consciousness:

“Evolution has no foresight. Complex machinery develops its own agendas. Brains — cheat. Feedback loops evolve to promote stable heartbeats and then stumble upon the temptation of rhythm and music. The rush evoked by fractal imagery, the algorithms used for habitat selection, metastasize into art. Thrills that once had to be earned in increments of fitness can now be had from pointless introspection. Aesthetics rise unbidden from a trillion dopamine receptors, and the system moves beyond modeling the organism. It begins to model the very process of modeling. It consumes evermore computational resources, bogs itself down with endless recursion and irrelevant simulations. Like the parasitic DNA that accretes in every natural genome, it persists and proliferates and produces nothing but itself. Metaprocesses bloom like cancer, and awaken, and call themselves I.”

Peter Watts, Blindsight​

I do believe that we are biological machines, and that consciousness was a competitively advantageous evolutionary adaptation. It's primary means for existence is to reconcile and mediate because emotion was adapted. Emotion was adapted because it somehow enhances intelligence (i'll explain later i need to reexamine this to remember, i am drunk and tired) and it was necessary to evolve a consciousness seperate from the autonomic subconsciousness to deal with anxiety (which is a negative emotional/social response). So i think we have a similar philosophy. But i have some other whackjob ideas about the universe.

 

[Braindead]

Ok this is hilarious and whoever gets this reference, you are awesome..

Have you read the book? And you, @Zyphox?

People should read it. I read the whole series and I love it so very much. One of the most hilarious things I've ever seen.

 

[WaywardStranger]

I do believe that we are biological machines, and that consciousness was a competitively advantageous evolutionary adaptation. It's primary means for existence is to reconcile and mediate because emotion was adapted. Emotion was adapted because it somehow enhances intelligence (i'll explain later i need to reexamine this to remember, i am drunk and tired) and it was necessary to evolve a consciousness seperate from the autonomic subconsciousness to deal with anxiety. So i think we have a similar philosophy. But i have some other whackjob ideas about the universe.

Sounds like we've a similar perspective. Although, I'm of the opinion that emotions are little more than deprecated neural feedback loops from long, long ago.

 

[Cossner]

That's racist.

Also racist question - why do like all "true" ghost stories involve white people? Why don't black people get haunted?

I can't find the Triforce with the black eyes picture and it hurts my soul.

 

[Peckapowa]

Sounds like we've a similar perspective. Although, I'm of the opinion that emotions are little more than deprecated neural feedback loops from long, long ago.

I am not sure i understand what this means exactly, but i do think it sounds like it trivializes emotion (though our discussions might not be mutually exclusive and i am yapping about something different), when in reality emotion is necessary because it is a catalyst for intelligence, it provides a gradient for decision making. We have a social motive and/or set of desires, and emotion is a necessary response. For example i think that any negative situation socially, produces a negative emotional response known as anxiety. I think anxiety remanifests based upon our method of response. For example, when we invoke or have an automated fight response anxiety manifests itself as anger, where as a flight response would be fear, and a long-term flight response ( non-repressed) would be sadness. negative physical responses include pain and hunger.

 

[WaywardStranger]

I am not sure i understand what this means exactly, but i do think it sounds like it trivializes emotion (though our discussions might not be mutually exclusive and i am yapping about something different), when in reality emotion is necessary because it is a catalyst for intelligence, it provides a gradient for decision making. We have a social motive and/or set of desires, and emotion is a necessary response. For example i think that any negative situation socially, produces a negative emotional response known as anxiety. I think anxiety remanifests based upon our method of response. For example, when we invoke or have an automated fight response anxiety manifests itself as anger, where as a flight response would be fear, and a long-term flight response ( non-repressed) would be sadness. negative physical responses include pain and hunger.

I am trivializing emotions, unavoidable though they are.

No doubt, emotions motivate humans. But they get in the way of our greatest power--to see the future (using chains of logic for prediction).

 

[Rickyraws]

Joking aside, I obviously don't believe there is souls. I think it's just one more things humans have imagined. There's no evidence to suggest otherwise. However, what I do believe in is energy. Energy is neither created nor destroyed. Once we exist, I believe some part of us will always exist. To what degree and in what context I am uncertain.

So, the traditional idea of a ghost isn't just something I don't believe exists, I don't believe it can exist.

A Dark Souls player who doesn't believe in souls. I've seen it all.

Speaking of seen it all, yo dat new Bloodborne footage doe...

 

[Error]

I actually saw the ghost of my old Guinea Pig Chester the other night. True story.

;-;

 

[GGA Max]

I guess the best non-trolly explanation, if ghosts existed, would be that humans have stronger mental capacities in comparison to other species. So a human who was killed would have a reason to stay and attempt to interact with the living world. Animals don't have that kind of awareness, except in some cases with animals like dogs, who can grow emotional attachments with humans. Which is why ghost dogs are a thing I guess

In fact, I've spent a lot of time doing research on this subject. At my university and in my spare time. The following is one of the strongest pieces of evidence suggesting animals DO have souls.

Spoiler

 

[imblackjames]

That's racist.

Also racist question - why do like all "true" ghost stories involve white people? Why don't black people get haunted?

Because the minute black people think there is a ghost they GTFO because a house aint worth it

 

[Immortal Kombat]

Sounds like we've a similar perspective. Although, I'm of the opinion that emotions are little more than deprecated neural feedback loops from long, long ago.

Ray kurzweil is a must read for you guys speaking of these complex thoughts. It takes a certain mind to even entertain the genius behind the books but read "age of spiritual machines- when computers exceed human intelligence" .
I believe we are part of a cycle that has happened many many times.