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Neuroscience has much to learn from Hume’s philosophy of emotions | Psyche Ideas
Reason Is Subject To Passion
Humans, by nature, are rationally weak but passionately motivated. Emotions are always stronger and drive action, and reasoning is often used as an excuse for inaction.
Neuroscience is now revisiting emotions as drivers of action, reducing them to mere tools. The complexity of emotions, especially the mixed variety, runs deeper than just being catalysts for action.
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Key Ideas
The Universal God
Aldous Huxley's The Perennial Philosophy(1945) is an extraordinary work of synthesis, introducing global (particularly eastern) spirituality into mainstream western culture.
The Philosopher has translated some untranslatable insights from the Bhagwad Geeta, The Upanishads, the teachings of Buddha and associated Zen masters. The main aim of the book is to shed light on the stupidity and barbarism of various religions and try to make people see a Universal God.
Fresh Take On Religion
- Modern society has been described as the Age of Noise, and an Organized Lovelessness.
- Advertising is revealed to be an organized effort to extend and intensify craving.
- People in the modern age worship progress, technology, and their nation-state, all of which can be described as a 'religion'.
- The dogma of such religions was profoundly criticized in the classic books, while paving the way towards newer ways to find God, like meditation.
The Author and Philosopher's fresh take on religion, shaping it as an 'empirical spirituality' was a huge influence in the 1960s and which has since then led to more people (now 27% in the US) being 'Spiritual but not Religious'
Constructing One's Reality
Aldous Huxley was heavily criticized after his death by newer philosophers who didn't subscribe to the Perennial Philosophy.
While the author insisted that the ultimate mystical experience is the moment of pure oneness with God where the concepts of 'I', language, image and culture are dissolved, his critics argued that all religions are true and some of them are truer than the others.
One of the critics states that human beings construct reality using their bodies, rituals, words, actions and cultures.
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Survival before Behaviour
Our survival instinct came before any reasoning or behavioral aspects.
The human body is firstly a tool of survival, with rationalizing and the 'mind' perspectives arriving much later.
Neuroscience is a new science
We normally assume that certain sections of the brain carry out a specific set of tasks. This is fair to believe but is not entirely accurate.
The science to scan brain activity is currently in its infancy. Brain scans track blood flow; that does not mean specific functions are limited to that region.
Humans and the environment
Humans believe they are separate from the environment, which is a wrong presumption.
Environmental and climate change and its imminent effects on humans are proof that we are not separate or insulated from our surroundings.
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Key Ideas
David Hume: Both Sides of the Coin
The philosophy of the Scottish philosopher David Hume wasn't just about being disagreeable. He was skeptical and doubtful on authority, and on himself too.
He could highlight flaws on both sides of the argument, his side and the opponent's side. His balanced and practical intellect made him a rare historical figure.
The Limits of Reason and Logic
David Hume understood that the various beliefs and ideologies that sound reasonable and logical on the surface, are in fact irrational and emotionally driven deep down.
This way he could argue about or doubt practically any belief or thought process.
At Ease with Contradictions
David Hume was completely at ease with contradictions. This way he could avoid getting into extremities.
He used to contradict himself by providing a counter-argument against his own statements. This way, no matter how contradictory it sounded, it provided an insight into life, which itself does not follow a linear, logical path.