Comedian, writer and former mayor of Reykjavík JÓN GNARR, writes a weekly column for the weekend issue of Fréttablaðið, Iceland's most read newspaper and we publish an English version here at Iceland Insider.
“I think, therefore I am” is a philosophical proposition, usually attributed to the French mathematician, philosopher and scientist René Descartes (1596-1650). The idea, however, is older, although it is phrased differently. This proposition is one of the main foundations of Western philosophy. The proposition can be interpreted in different ways. Here, the individual is a doer. He thinks and thus creates the idea and the awareness of himself. The individual has a free will which, however, is placed under a superior will, i.e. the will of God. A person is divided into two, spirit and body.
The body is imperfect and feral, that’s where the impulses and the foibles reside. The soul is at a higher level in a divine sphere. Ethics deals to a great extent with the conflict between the two. We are basically spiritual beings, but driven on by beastly urges that often get us into trouble because the soul is a captive of the body. The sex drive is at the forefront here. It is the most primitive and seedy of all the impulses. The spirit is ready but the flesh is weak. Religions are based on this. Our lives and destiny dance to the tune of God. For us to fare well in our life, our own will needs to be in as much harmony with His higher will as possible. He leads us on. Intuition is often defined as guidance from God, or at least from beyond. Spirits from beyond can also visit us in our dreams and give us messages.
I Disagree
I disagree with this for many reasons. First of all, I reject the idea of God. I have not found anything indicating the existence of such a being or phenomenon. And I don’t agree with the notion that the personality is an invariable part of the individual. It has been established that diseases and traumas can alter the character traits of people. As an actor, I am also familiar with changing form and becoming another person. This can be a spiritual experience.
The latest research in neuroscience indicates that there is no such thing as free will, or at least that it is greatly overrated. What I experience as “myself” seems, therefore, to be based on illusion. I don’t know about the soul or the human spirit. Perhaps awareness is something more than just a physical condition. I have had a few such experiences that I cannot explain. Yet, I am not at all of the opinion that if there is something spiritual it must therefore be supernatural. I think the term “supernatural” is usually just a word for natural phenomena that we have not yet managed to understand.
The Belief in God Is an Outdated Ideology
I think we have to get rid of old and outdated ideas to be able to adopt new ones. The belief in God is an outdated ideology, a superstition that is clearly an obstacle similar to when people in former times thought that mentally ill people were possessed by evil spirits, or that setbacks were godly punishments. For me, the belief in God is a lie, and a lie can never be a blessing. But that is just my opinion, and others have the right to form their own beliefs based on their own experiences. The brain is the real controller of our lives. It makes decisions which we are often not aware of.
Studies of the brain show that when we make decisions, the brain has already taken them without our knowledge. And more often than not it tricks us to lead us on and make us do things. Adults often do this with children. If we were a computer the brain would be the motherboard and the hard drive. “We” would only be an interface. And my brain has more things in common with your brain, than with the rest of me. It is not dependent on the individual, it is a self-contained living being. And we are only its servants. The brain is God. The brain has a will. We can call it independent or inherent.
So it is not “we” who make the decision, it is the brain. It is not a part of us, we are just a part of it. In light of this, Descartes’ proposition does not hold. “I” am, not because I think. There is a thought, and therefore “I” am.
Comedian, writer and former mayor of Reykjavík JÓN GNARR, writes a weekly column for the weekend issue of Fréttablaðið, Iceland's most read newspaper and we publish an English version here at Iceland Insider.
“I think, therefore I am” is a philosophical proposition, usually attributed to the French mathematician, philosopher and scientist René Descartes (1596-1650). The idea, however, is older, although it is phrased differently. This proposition is one of the main foundations of Western philosophy. The proposition can be interpreted in different ways. Here, the individual is a doer. He thinks and thus creates the idea and the awareness of himself. The individual has a free will which, however, is placed under a superior will, i.e. the will of God. A person is divided into two, spirit and body.
The body is imperfect and feral, that’s where the impulses and the foibles reside. The soul is at a higher level in a divine sphere. Ethics deals to a great extent with the conflict between the two. We are basically spiritual beings, but driven on by beastly urges that often get us into trouble because the soul is a captive of the body. The sex drive is at the forefront here. It is the most primitive and seedy of all the impulses. The spirit is ready but the flesh is weak. Religions are based on this. Our lives and destiny dance to the tune of God. For us to fare well in our life, our own will needs to be in as much harmony with His higher will as possible. He leads us on. Intuition is often defined as guidance from God, or at least from beyond. Spirits from beyond can also visit us in our dreams and give us messages.
I Disagree
I disagree with this for many reasons. First of all, I reject the idea of God. I have not found anything indicating the existence of such a being or phenomenon. And I don’t agree with the notion that the personality is an invariable part of the individual. It has been established that diseases and traumas can alter the character traits of people. As an actor, I am also familiar with changing form and becoming another person. This can be a spiritual experience.
The latest research in neuroscience indicates that there is no such thing as free will, or at least that it is greatly overrated. What I experience as “myself” seems, therefore, to be based on illusion. I don’t know about the soul or the human spirit. Perhaps awareness is something more than just a physical condition. I have had a few such experiences that I cannot explain. Yet, I am not at all of the opinion that if there is something spiritual it must therefore be supernatural. I think the term “supernatural” is usually just a word for natural phenomena that we have not yet managed to understand.
The Belief in God Is an Outdated Ideology
I think we have to get rid of old and outdated ideas to be able to adopt new ones. The belief in God is an outdated ideology, a superstition that is clearly an obstacle similar to when people in former times thought that mentally ill people were possessed by evil spirits, or that setbacks were godly punishments. For me, the belief in God is a lie, and a lie can never be a blessing. But that is just my opinion, and others have the right to form their own beliefs based on their own experiences. The brain is the real controller of our lives. It makes decisions which we are often not aware of.
Studies of the brain show that when we make decisions, the brain has already taken them without our knowledge. And more often than not it tricks us to lead us on and make us do things. Adults often do this with children. If we were a computer the brain would be the motherboard and the hard drive. “We” would only be an interface. And my brain has more things in common with your brain, than with the rest of me. It is not dependent on the individual, it is a self-contained living being. And we are only its servants. The brain is God. The brain has a will. We can call it independent or inherent.
So it is not “we” who make the decision, it is the brain. It is not a part of us, we are just a part of it. In light of this, Descartes’ proposition does not hold. “I” am, not because I think. There is a thought, and therefore “I” am.
