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Open Individualism

posted a month ago by aliensalmon (5855)
17 replies | jump to latest

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_individualism

In the philiosophy of self, Open indvidualism basically states there is only one subject/consciousness/self who is everyone at all times in the past, present, or future. It basically means that "reincarnation" happens, but "I" will eventually become "you", and "you" will eventually become "me", and "we" will eventually become other conscious entities - the order doesn't matter with respect to time.

What do you guys think of this idea?

I've actually thought about this idea in the past as a solution to the "vertiginous question":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertiginous_question

...about why it seems why only one consciousness ("mine", or from your perspective, "yours") is "live" at a time. I just didn't know what it's called until today. It's a pretty interesting idea with many implications (example: if you hurt others, you are just hurting yourself.)

[–] Kowalski (78993) a month ago

I DON'T LIKE IT.....I PREFER MY CONSCIOUSNESS BEING THE ONLY ONE....FOREVER.

[–] aliensalmon (5855) a month ago

Yeah, I agree it's an uncomfortable hypothesis to think about....

[–] OnanTheBarbarian (13144) a month ago

This theory assumes that our consciousness is not tied to our physical body. But what if consciousness is only a physical trait caused by electrical impulses between synapses in the brain?

But that theory does describe pantheism in general and Hinduism in particular.

[–] aliensalmon (5855) a month ago

I guess you have a point about the idea. And yes, I could see how it ties to Hinduism.

[–] db20db (17741) a month ago

While I think there's something to reincarnation, I lean toward "rugged individualism."https://moviechat.org/tt0056195/Lonely-Are-the-Brave; https://moviechat.org/tt0068762/Jeremiah-Johnson

[–] aliensalmon (5855) a month ago

Hmm...I'll check 'em out! Thanks!

[–] db20db (17741) a month ago

You're not yet aware of these movies? They're classics.

[–] aliensalmon (5855) a month ago

Nope. I guess I don't get out much....

[–] db20db (17741) a month ago

You don't have to get out to enjoy these great, classic movies. I haven't been to a movie theater in years. It just kind of boggles my mind that you're just now becoming aware of them. But then, I've never heard of open individualism before either.

[–] BenStrousers (966) a month ago

...the beauty of our business is you don't have to get out much...

[–] jriley555 (8543) a month ago

It's not that distinguishable from pantheism.

In my view, it's anthropomorphic. We are evolved with individual consciousness and participate in a shared reality, mediated by our shared senses, memories, recordings of same, of all we see, know, imagine. In a cosmic sense, there's no objective reason to impute a meaning or significance upon it more than exactly what it is - the collective experience/memory, just another (likely vanishingly rare) set of events in the cosmos.

i.e. No 'melding' of 'all this' in some 'greater' consciousness. That's a mock-up, a willed concept of greater meaning with no basis to support it, other than the honest wonder of all that is. The imputation, iow, is weak.

[–] aliensalmon (5855) a month ago

Hmm...interesting take.

[–] OnanTheBarbarian (13144) a month ago

What this theory says is that we are all facets of the same "entity" but our physical nature and lack of comprehension deceives us. So yeah, there's no WOW and great melding with the eternal at death, just recognition like looking at our reflection in the mirror.

[–] jriley555 (8543) a month ago

But what of that 'entity' ? Everything is, and certainly all life is a web of interdependence, but beyond the commonplace acknowledgment of what we can see & know, what more ? What actually is being posited about it all, beyond its mere existence, which is nothing more than what everyone with some sense & education already knew ?

[–] OnanTheBarbarian (13144) a month ago

The entity is everything, the universe. We can call it god for lack of a better word. It's in contrast to the Christian idea that you die and your soul remains separate from god.

This theory says you are part of god but you don't realize it.

[–] jriley555 (8543) a month ago

Yeah, its pantheism, nothing new. Spinoza. Its sort of a meh notion that, yeah, the universe is there, mainly cold and dark, completely apersonal - let's call it God. Existence is God. OK. What do you do with that notion ? What does it impel us or inspire us to do about th' universe ? What does it reveal ?

I'm, believe it or not, open to discussion on this, but that's my probably superficial but serious take.

[–] 123Guy (7838) a month ago

I think fiction is always fun.

Probably take another world War for us to focus on real important things in life.