NEURO SCIENCE AND REAL SELF

A.Sriskandarajah
Luxmy Court
No-59- 4/6-W.A.Silva Mawatha
Wellawatte
Sri Lanka
Email-Sriskandarajah@ymail.com

I am searching answers biologically for the following questions about our inner subjective experiences from Neuro Scientists, Physicists, Psychologists and Philosophers and those experts who find everything in the brain and matter. Here I am not asking any questions about spiritual experiences or mystical experiences or life after death. All my questions are about our moment to moment real inner experiences in connection with our physical structure including brain to free from all kind of sufferings by understanding the real nature of our existence. Otherwise life has no meaning even if we understand the billion billion galaxies, origin of universe, origin of life. We may live for a matter of 70 or 80 years or little more with the burden of knowledge, arguments and debates and at last die without knowing what we are.

My questions are about experiences and Experiencer not conciousness. We are feeling many sense of experiences daily. So there should be an Experiencer to aware or to know the experiences. I could not understand the term consciousness. Really it is not giving any direct meaning or understanding. If consciousness means awareness of experiences then we need to find answers to the following questions. How does an experience arises? Other question - Which is aware of all experiences? The Neuro Scientists are bothered only to understand how does an experience arises or how consciousness arises. But they are not aware of the second question which feels all experiences. Volumes of books were written and still being written as to what is happening in the brain. I am not aware of what is happening in my brain. But I am aware of all experiences such as taste, smell,sound, vision, pain, fear, hungry, thirst etc since all such experiences are directed to me. So it is very important to ask which is aware of all sense of experiences in an individual existence. To which all subjective experiences are directed for the purpose of knowing them?

My serious problem is sorrow of death. I regret very much that I could not see any Philosopher or Scientist has talked about this problem seriously in their writings and also I could not find answers to my questions in any book or in any article on consciousness presented by any Philosopher or any Scientist. I feel very sorry to see the people crying and living with deep sorrow when they lost the life of their loved ones. So please give importance to my questions and send your answers. Since you are an eminent Philosopher with deep and vast understanding your answers would be very helpful to understand my self and my brain to solve the problem of sorrow of death.

Many experts have been submitting very long and complicated hypothesis es and theories on consciousness mainly to show the mechanism how it arises. At the end we can not find any solution or relief or hope to the biggest problem of sorrow of death. Al though many books were written no one showed any interest or concern about the problem of sorrow of death. Unless we solve this problem we can not have real peace of mind.

Neuro Scientists are interested in the study of consciousness to find how is that chemical and electrical activities of neurons in the brain give rise to all subjective experiences. Their research is to find the minimal neural mechanism necessary for any specific sensation like seeing colors and shapes, feeling pain, hearing a tone, smelling some thing, tasting a food etc. But why they are not aware of the existence which experiences or feels the sensations like pain, taste, smell, perception, hungry or which hears a tone. There has been a question in the Scientific and Philosophic world how the brain produces a conscious experience. But I have not heard any one in the Scientific or Philosophic world asking the very important question about the existence which feels or experiences all the subjective experiences arising through the brain. Does the brain produce a conscious experience and at the same time feel the produced conscious experience? If so, which part of the brain produces conscious experience and which part of the brain feels the produced conscious experience? Hard problem, binding problem and unified consciousness are also a mystery related to our subjective experiences. But my question is different from hard problem, binding problem and unified consciousness. I am definite that the answer to this question only will solve the last and biggest problem of human beings which is sorrow of death. When we lose our loved ones we suffer from severe psychological pain of sorrow of lost of life. The physical pain like toothache or headache may be cured. But what is the cure or answer for the pain of sorrow of death in Science? Unless Science solve the problem of death we can not have real peace of mind.

There is deep suffering in this world of existence. Sorrow of death and suffering of severe pain are two major problems which Science has so far failed to find solution even though there are remarkable development in Science. We do not want our self to suffer or our loved ones to suffer with pain. Other problem is sorrow of death. We do not want our self to come to an end by death or our our loved ones to die. Perhaps others too. There is no answer in Science or Philosophy to the suffering from unbearable pain of sorrow of a man who lost his loved ones and to the fear of death.In this world there are many eminent Scientists, Psychologists and Philosophers yet these problems continue without being solved. Whether we believe in God or not whether we believe in soul or not whether we are illusion or real whether we are by product of neural activity of brain or something more we all want to exist and do not want to die or to suffer. So it is a common problem to mankind. I think it can be solved only by understanding the real nature of our existence. The answers to the following questions will reveal the mystery of our existence.

It has been a major problem for Philosophers and Scientists to know how consciousness arises. They have been presenting many theories and models to explain consciousness. Really it is very interesting to know how consciousness arises. However by any way consciousness arises with or without our knowledge. But knowing how consciousness arises will not solve the problem of sorrow of death. Because there is another problem I do not know whether Scientists and Philosophers are aware of the reality which owns the consciousness. There is a particular ownership of consciousness. See the difference between my consciousness and your consciousness. Knowing the owner of consciousness will only solve the big problem of sorrow of death. Because the Experiencer may not die with the death of this material body. Owner of the consciousness is the Experiencer or Knower of all sense of experiences which are arising by a certain physical arrangements and certain electro chemical activities in the brain.

You are all aware that Many Neuro Scientists, Psychologists and some Philosophers have been saying often that consciousness or self is an emergent property of the brain or brain creates or generates consciousness or self and there is nothing beyond brain after finding the different brain areas responsible for different sensations from the patients who had damages in the brain. It is true that in the absence of functional neurons due to damages in the brain we lose experiences such as seeing, hearing ,tasting etc or due to neuron disorders we get distorted mental experiences. Showing it as a proof they say that brain produces consciousness and you are nothing but pack of neurons and when the brain dies that is the end of you. I explain why there is no truth in such statements.

When you eat an apple you get the taste sensation of apple. When the apple is removed from your mouth you lose the experience of taste. Does it means that you are apple? Does it means that you are also lost ? Does it means that apple feels the taste sensation? Likewise if the brain area responsible for taste sensation is damaged or in the absence of particular neurons we lose the experience of taste or we will feel a distorted experience of taste. So does it means that we are pack of neurons?

The damage in the lenses of our eyes causes distortion of perception or in the absence of the lenses of our eyes we can't see. Does it mean that either eye lenses produce sense of perception or eye lenses see objects. Does it means that I am lenses of the eyes? Similarly we can not definitely say brain produces sense of experiences or brain it self feels all subjective experiences. We need oxygen and without oxygen we can't have any experiences. Does it mean that I am oxygen?

Scientists may have found an area in the brain which is responsible for consciousness. But without oxygen also we can't be conscious. Without sugar also we can't be conscious. So it doesn't mean that either oxygen or sugar is consciousness. When a switch is damaged we can't get electricity. It doesn't mean that every thing is in the switch. This is the argument put forward by many Neuro Scientists that without neurons we can't feel so we are pack of neurons. I know what is red and what is blue. I know what is hungry and what is thirst. I know what is the taste of sugar and the smell of a rose flower or a jasmine flower. I know the pain of headache. I know the pain of an injection. I know all sensations. But in brain a particular area or neurons know a particular sensation or part of it. This is the difference between myself and neurons. So how can I be the pack of neurons? Although it is true that brain is partly responsible for the manifestation of experiences it can not be a proof to say that you are pack of neurons and neurons feel experiences.

Many Neuro Scientists and Philosophers argue that brain creates the self, brain creates the mind or brain produces consciousness and there is nothing beyond brain. Brain alters the mind is true but not brain creates the mind. Many books have been written and many papers have been presented by them on this subject. It is true that damages in the brain cause loss of sensations which alter the mind.This only evidence which they have found in the patients is their proof to argue that brain creates the self. It is also true that neurons in a particular brain area get activated when we feel a particular experience.I explain why they say such wrong statements. If the lenses in our eye are damaged we lose our vision. So we can't come to conclusion that lenses create the sense of perception. The other thing is the wrong identification of the experiences as self by the Neuro Scientists and Philosophers. The terms mind, self, sense of I, sense of self, sense of being, consciousness, soul are being used to explain our inner subjective existence. There are different interpretations of the terms self, mind and consciousness. There is no clear understanding of these terms. The understanding of the self or sense of being or mind by people including many Neuro Scientists and Philosophers

is really an experience which is subject to change . So it is true that damages in the brain alter the sense of self or mind since sense of self or mind is experience of body feeling,body image and awareness of other experiences.

They identify the sense of self, sense of I, sense of being, mind and consciousness as self or soul which is a wrong identification. That is why they say brain creates the self and that is why I use the terms real self and Experiencer to avoid this confusion. Sense of self, sense of I, sense of being, mind are all different from the real self. Sense of self, sense of being, sense of I, mind,altered mind are all really experiences or feelings. Sense of self or sense of I or sense of being arise from our body feeling, from image of the body, from mental images and memory. Body feeling and image of the body are really sensations.

If we see little further and deeper we understand that there should be an Experiencer which experiences the sense of self or mind which is the reflection or projection of experiences. What is that Experiencer which is the real self?

Mind is a term used for the purpose of explaining our inner experiences. Really conscious mind is not a separate thing. In the absence of experiences the conscious mind do not appear to exist. But the real self is the Experiencer of all experiences. Really experiences changes or ceases when the brain is damaged. So sense of self also changes since sense of self is an experience of body feeling and body image. Different areas in the brain not create or generate but involve in the arising of different experiences or feelings. Mental states is the reflection or projection of experiences or feelings which are arising through the brain. For an example when I am angry the sense of angry reflects an angry mind.When a man is happy the sense of happiness reflects a happy mind. When man is worried the sense of sorrow reflects a worried mind or worried self. The sense of depression reflects a depressed mind or depressed self. So such mental states being the reflections of experiences or feelings are identified by Neuro Scientists as self. Although it is true that an experience or sensation arises by the activities of the neurons in the brain and damages in the brain alter the experiences, sensations or experiences can not be the self. I do not identify experiences as my Self. My question is related to the Experiencer of all experiences which is the real Self , which is the owner of sense of being, which is the owner of consciousness. Their statements have meaning only reference to experiences and not to Experiencer. My question is which feels or knows all experiences including normal and abnormal experiences or which is the Experiencer of all experiences. Experiences are different from the Experiencer. Observed is different from the Observer. It seems that Neuro Scientists are not aware of the Experiencer or Observer. Because all their concepts or arguments are based only on experiences relevant to damaged brains. So their argument is not valid and acceptable. It is not my intention to prove the existence of soul. But I want to find the reality of my existence.

Experiences may be arising as a result of brain process. So we may lose experiences when the brain is damaged. But self is the Experiencer of all sense of experiences. Many Neuro Scientists identify the experiences as self and say brain produces self which is a wrong and misleading statement . They mix up the self and experiences. Because the self is the Experiencer of all experiences. Near death experience whether inside the brain or out side the brain, out of body experience whether real or fake, spiritual experiences, paranormal experiences, normal experiences, hallucinations, sense of self, sense of being, experiencing the taste of an apple are all experiences.Which feels all these experiences? Sense of self is also an experience because sense of self is the reflection of body feeling, body image connected to memory. Body feeling and body image are really experiences. Really damages in the brain or effects of chemicals alter the sense of self since sense of self is an experience. Sense of self is not the real self. Many Neuro Scientists and Philosophers identify the sense of self being an experience as self or soul and say the following statements which are wrong and misleading. "Brain creates the self or alter the self" "Consciousness is the emergent property of brain,"Self is no more than the by product of electrochemical activity within the brain.""You are nothing but pack of neurons " "You are no more than the behaviour of vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules and soul is a myth." To avoid this misidentification I better use the term Experiencer. It is true that experiences depends on brain activity. Real self is the knower of all experiences.

You close you eyes and see inwardly the contents of your mind. You see the contents of your memory and body image as your self or your being. That is wrong. Because what you see or feel is experiences such as your body feeling, projected images of your self from your memory and reddish darkness in your forehead. This is your sense of self and not self. When you are happy you see the happiness as your self. That is also wrong. The patients express their inner feelings to the medical professionals who interpret the inner feelings as self. That is the reason why many Neuro Scientists and Philosophers say that the self is the activity of the brain. Really an experience is the activity of the brain but not the self. They see the sense of self and self as one whereas really both are different.

Sense of self is experience whereas self is the Experiencer of sense of self. Many Neuro Scientists, Philosophers and Psychologists mix up self and sense of self and say brain creates the self which is a wrong statement. Their statement may be true in the sense that brain releases experiences which we identify as sense of self.

The terms mind, soul, consciousness and self have no specific meaning since these terms have different interpretations and understandings. Soul is a term allergic to skeptics since it is religious. So the term Experiencer is used by me in my questions which has only one meaning with a specific understanding. This term directly gives the meaning to every one. This is not a religious or philosophic or scientific term. It is a term free from all concepts and mis interpretations.

One Neuro Scientist said that you are nothing but pack of neurons. What is the meaning of this concept? Then what is the meaning of the research to regenerate the damaged neurons? Because when our neurons die we also have to die with the neurons.
Another Neuro Scientist in America said brain generates the sense of being and that generated sense of being experiences other sensations. Is it like an electric plant generating electricity. He is simply telling that but he is unable to explain how a subjective experience is generated by the brain and unable to connect the material process with a subjective experience. What is sense of being? Sense of being means sensing the being or self. So it is really an experience like taste sensation.

The same American Neuro Scientist stated the following in one of his presentations.

"What is the self? How does the activity of neurons give rise to a sense of being a conscious human being? Self is not holistic property of the entire brain. It arises from the activity of specific sets of interlinked brain circuits"

From his explanation, I understood that this Neuro Scientist was not aware of the real problem. Sense of being, body feeling, sense of self are all experiences. Here the Neuro Scientist refers to experiences as self. Self is the Experiencer but sense of being is an experience. What is sense of being or sense of self? It is sensing the being or self. So it is clear that sense of being is an experience like sense of taste.This is the misunderstanding of Neuroscientists and Philosophers.We are all aware that many experiences are arising in our existence. Activity of neurons and brain circuits may give rise to experiences or feelings. But they can not give rise to the self which is the Experiencer of feelings. The search of Experiencer may reveal an immense and strange truth and also solve the problem of human sufferings.

One eminent Philosopher said that he can easily change his consciousness by taking a drug. He is also not aware of the Experiencer. He refers to the experience and not to the Experiencer. Because our experiences may change by drugs.

There may be values in religions which cannot be simply disproved with our limited knowledge unless we know everything.

These questions are not arising just reading books but as a result of my deep introspection of my own mind directly for many years. It is very interesting and at the same time very important to study our subjective experiences. Because every thing is a subjective experience. Revealing the mystery of our own self is the greatest victory. Astrophysicists are exploring the space to reveal the mysteries of the immeasurable universe and countless galaxies and stars. But only we, human beings are aware of the existence of every thing including the universe. So our existence is more mystery than the universe.It is not like studying the cells or genes under microscope. Scientists can study the external objects in a lab. But studying our self is some thing connected internally. So they can't always depend only on classical methods of Science.

MY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

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(1) Which feels or knows all the sense of experiences in the structure of an individual existence? Which is the Experiencer or Knower of all conscious experiences?

Neuro Scientists have identified separate specific areas in the brain which involve in the process of different conscious experiences or sensations. A particular area in the brain or particular neurons involve in the arising of a particular conscious experience.Accordingly each area can feel only its relevant sensation although interconnected with other areas.For an example the area of taste can not feel the sense of smell. But according to my inner observation I am able to feel or know all kind of different sensations. All sense of experiences are directed to me and made known to me. It is a fact which every body can see it directly. So in one existence of life there should be something which can feel all sensations. What is it? Is it a part of brain? If so, which part of the brain feels all sensations? The important point is that part should be able to feel all sensations and not a particular sensation like feeling heat or hungry. So there should be a center of existence in the brain to feel or know all kind of sense of experiences. Is there any such center in the brain which can feel all experiences? Have Neuro Scientists identified or found such a specific center in the brain? If not, which feels or knows all kind of sense of experiences in an individual existence? If there is no such center in the brain then definitely there should be some other existence other than the brain.

Brain contains billions of neurons. Particular neurons involves in the arising of a particular conscious experience. But I am able to feel all different conscious experiences. This is the difference between myself and neurons. So what am I? How can I be pack of neurons as said by one Neuro scientist. Further in each conscious experience there are categories of different sensations. If we take taste sensation it consists of sweet,sour, bitter,salty etc. Particular neurons involve in the process of each category of taste. But I am able to feel all kind of taste sensations processed by many different group of neurons. Otherwise no point of buying different food items and no point of cooking food with different taste. Like taste sensation other conscious experiences also consist of many categories in which specific and separate neurons are involved.So, whether sweet or bitter or head ache or tooth ache or red color or black color or pleasing smell or unpleasant smell or what ever sensation all kind of sensations are being known by me whereas certain neurons are able to feel only a certain sensation. So it is obvious that there should be some other existence other than neurons whether in the brain or any where. What is it? It is true that when certain neurons dies we may not feel certain sensation being processed by these neurons.But when certain dead neurons are repaired I will regain the lost sensation.

It is an absolute fact that in one individual existence of life only one and the same Experiencer not many enjoys the life by hearing by eating by sexing by seeing by smelling by touching and also suffers by feeling all kind of pains. Whether it is physical or non physical doesn't matter but we should know what is that one Experiencer? The one which tastes the food hears the song. It is not one tastes the food and another hears the song in a particular individual existence. All different kind of experiences which are arising through different regions of the brain by neuronal process are directed to me and made known to me. It is happening to all. That is why every one wants good feelings and does not want bad feelings. It is our own direct experience which cannot be proved or shown with evidence. Our mental experience is the tool for all evidences. It is the only phenomena which needs no evidence. So we should know what is that one existence in our physical body which feels all the sense of experiences such as smell, taste, sound, visions with colors and shapes, heat, cold, hungry, thirst, pain, happiness, sorrow etc? According to my direct inner observation I  feel all sense of experiences. All sensations or experiences arising may be as a result of electro chemical activities or brain process are coming to me and I am able to feel all experiences. But according to Neuro Science there are separate areas or specific neurons in the brain to feel each sensation. For example the area of taste can not feel or know the sense of smell. The area of hearing can not feel or know the sense of cold although it is connected to other regions via signals. Each area can feel or know only its relevant sensation. But I can feel all sense of experiences. Otherwise life has no meaning. There is no meaning if one part of existence feels and enjoys the taste sensation and another part hears and enjoys the music.But the structure of the brain is contradiction to our direct subjective experience due to the involvement of its separate areas . Like nose,eyes. tongue.ears and skin different areas of the brain involves in the manifestation of experiences. But the Knower of all experiences is one and not many. It is not an acceptable or meaningful explanation that neurons feel or experience the sensations. Really we need neurons to have experiences like we need an apple to have the experience of taste of apple and we also need tongue to have taste sensation . All experiences such as taste, smell, visions with colors and shapes, sound, heat, cold, happiness, sorrow, fear, pain , body feeling. sense of self or sense of being etc are directed to me and made known to me. If there is no other existence except the material brain definitely  there should be a specific center in the brain to feel or to know or to comprehend all  sense of experiences. Is there any such center in the brain to feel or to experience all sensations? Here I do not mean the electrical and chemical signals. I mean the subjective experiences. Because I am not aware of any signals or brain process. I am only aware of all subjective experiences. If there is no such center in the brain then what is it that feels all sense of experiences ? Is it something beyond brain? The anatomy and physiology do not explain this mental phenomena of knowing all subjective experiences by one and the same existence.

Which feels the sense of taste? Which feels the sense of smell? Which feels the sense of fear? Which feels the sense of pain? Which hears the sense of sound? Which feels the sense of hungry? Which sees every thing? Which feels the sense of happiness? Which feels the sense of cold? Are they all one or many and separate. According to our inner observation they are all one which is the Experiencer. But according to Neuro Science they are many because many neurons or different brain areas are involved in feeling the sensations which is a contradictory explanation.

When I eat different food items at a same time , I experience different tastes in my mouth, where at the same time different areas or many different neurons take part in the arising of the different tastes. All different tastes processed by many neurons are known by me. Here it is understood that the knower of different tastes is different from the brain. So which is the Knower? Which is the Experiencer of all different taste sensations?

In this question I do not mean the binding problem. Binding problem is related to a particular experience.  How we see the entire picture of an object is binding problem. My questions are related to the Experiencer which feels or witnesses the entire experiences?

When an organism is suffering from a severe pain, a Scientist can explain all chemical and electrical mechanism involved in the arising of pain. But really which feels the pain sensation? To which the pain sensation is made known? Which is suffering from pain sensation arising as a result of biological mechanism or neural activity in the brain? When I eat a chocolate, ice cream, cake, or a fruit a sweet taste sensation arises. Biologically which experiences and enjoys the taste feeling?

(2) We are seeing this world and all objects and sensing many experiences through our brain as a result of certain set of arrangements. Accordingly we all see the same world and sense the same things. So we accept them as real. But when the arrangement is disturbed our perception and experiences also change. Since it is unusual we treat them as hallucinations. Really every thing is hallucination of the brain. Even what we thing as real is also hallucination since it is also seen by brain process. Near death experience and out of body experience are also an experience like sense of taste and sense of smell. Whether hallucination or real, whether it is happening inside the brain or out side the brain which sees both hallucination and real things during near death and out of the body? This is the important question. Near death experience or out of body experience may be real or hallucination or may be happening inside the brain or out side the brain. That is not the point. It is the argument by many Neuro Scientists that near death experience and out of body experience are hallucinations due to chemical process so there is no soul and since there is no soul reincarnation is false. Soul may not necessary to continue by reincarnation since it is a fact that we are now continuing day by day by a process with or without a soul. Chemical process is involved even when we see things as real. Which experiences the hallucination during near death? That is the crucial point which some Neuro Scientists are not aware of. There should be some kind of existence to witness the hallucination or reality.Their attempt to prove near death experiences as hallucinations is unimportant and meaningless.

(3) I exist. It is an obvious truth. So I should find out what am I? Because I should know what will happen to me when I die. All experiences are directed to me. So I should know what am I. How do I exist? What is the base of my existence? In case if I reincarnate I should know what am I? In case if I cease to exist after death I also should know what am I? There may no such thing as soul and I may not be soul. But I exist. So there is an existence.

There are two arguments.One is you continue to exist when your brain dies. Other is you also cease to exist when your brain dies. In both cases the thing "you" is involved. So what is that you?

I don't know whether soul exists or not exists.But I am sure that I exist and continue to exist with or without a soul or self. But in this physical structure every thing is changing or theoretically changeable. Is there anything permanently existing in this physical structure?

What am I? Who am I is not the right question. It is a very important question Because I am born in this world. I exist and I am going to die. Death is a great sorrow. So it is very important that I should know What am I? In what form I exist? Am I exist without any particular form and take the forms whatever given to me?

We see every thing is changing. Cells are dying and new cells are being born. Neural activity is also a moving process like a river. But I am not thinking that I get lost or disappeared. No one can bring our dead loved ones back . Sorrow of death is the last and fundamental problem. Materialistic Scientists want to prove that there is nothing beyond matter and brain. But they have not solved the problem of death and human sufferings. Although I need a body to exist I am not any parts of this body. I am not this particular heart or kidney or any organ. I can transplant them and continue to exist.

We want to exist and we do not want to come to an end.To exist we transplant our damaged organs and also try to generate the damaged tissues. It means that we are not this body consists of tissues and cells although we need a physical body. So what are we?

I am not even any sensations or feelings. Because sensations are always changing. When feeling of hungry arises,I take the form of hungry. I cannot separate myself from hungry. But when the sensation of hungry dies I will not die with the sensation of hungry. I will remain as existed before I had hungry. When I feel happy I take the form of happiness. When the sense of happiness ends I will not end with the sense of happiness. So I need sensations, but I am not sensations. Because sensations are always changing. Thoughts are arising and dying. I am not even thoughts. But I exist. No doubt about it. It is an absolute truth. No need any evidence.I am watching all the passing experiences like sitting in a train and watching the passing scenes. I am the sufferer, I am the enjoyer of life., I am the observer. So I am the Experiencer. It is my inner experience. No brain Specialist or Psychologist told this to me. I see this directly. I need not to check my brain by scanning or imaging. But the materialistic Neuro Scientists checked the brain and say that there is no such thing as I except 100 billion neurons in the brain. So, Am I a neuron or a mirror neuron or group of neurons or any part of the brain or electromagnetic field? They also say that you are the by product of neural activities in the brain and you also come to a final end when your brain dies. Here they accept the existence of I. Can they explain in what form this I exist? It is not only my problem. It is the problem of all of you if you really see yourself. These are the day to day experiences of all of you. I am not saying anything mystical or paranormal. I may be something or nothing. But I exist. This is the beauty of my existence which is a mystery.

Neuro Scientists may find the neural mechanism which causes the arising of consciousness. But that cannot be the end of search. Which owns the consciousness? Really consciousness has no specific meaning. So which is experiencing the experiences? We have only experiences. Nothing else . So there must be an Experiencer. Which is that?

It is true that we need neurons. But am I neurons? If I am neurons, do I always need the same neurons to make me again? If I need the same neurons to make me then what is the purpose of the research to regenerate the damage brain? I also have to die with the death of the existing neurons. If I need the same neurons to make me then I cannot do any changes in my self. Why do we need the same old neurons to make a brain again? Why can't we throw it like disposing the old things. Normally we throw old things and like to buy new things. Babies are born with new neurons. Neurons form new brains without the burden of the active past which is recorded in memory. So why do I need the same neurons to be put back together again? But the problem is that whether I can come again with the new neurons of a new born baby .So the question arises What am I? Can we keep any thing as mine in this physical body till death? Are we keeping any thing same in this physical body? Do we need to keep any thing same in this physical structure? Then we can't transplant heart or kidney or eyes. When heart is transplanted others heart become my heart. We need to keep the memory. That is not always necessary. When I sold a house I don't need to keep the memory of the previous house although relevant events are recorded in the brain.

Really memory makes me but that me is an illusory self. Experiences also make illusory selves. But these illusory selves are actually experiences and ideas or imaginations. I don't mean this continuity of memory. My questions are about the continuity of existence when these illusory selves are dying. I show below three instances where such illusory selves are identified. I am not referring these illusory selves in my questions. Because when illusory selves dies I will not die with them.

(a) What am I? or what is self? Normally when this question is asked all will start to imagine what it is according to their scientific, philosophic, spiritual, metaphysical, para psychological back ground knowledge which are stored in their memory. So their imaginations are actually projections of mind from their memory which are illusions because memory contains only known things of past. We try to capture it but what we capture is an image which is the projection from the past. So the self in our mind seems to be an illusion. What we thing as self is an imagination of mind which is really an illusion. That is why self is treated as an illusion. Here imagination makes a illusory I or self.

(b) Imaginations about our self creates illusory selves. Man creates many images about himself which are illusory selves. Our knowledge, our beliefs. our status and position, our imaginations which are rooted in the memory creates many illusory selves. But the truth is that these illusory selves die but the real self which is the experiencer continues to exist. What continues through memory are illusory selves. When a man thinks I am the king of this country he projects a self which is an illusion. When he loses his kingdom this self dies. Similarly man himself creates many images about him self which are illusory selves. So when we say I am an American, I am an Indian, I am a christian, I am a Hindu. I am an materialist, I am an atheist, I am a philosopher, I am a psychologist, I am a spiritualist, I am the president of this country, I am memory, I am illusion, I am a dualist, I am a physicalist, I am punch of neurons, I am the by product of brain, I am the emergent property of the brain, I am soul all such thoughts recorded in the memory and create images of an individual. These images are really illusory selves. All these selves are anchored in our memory. Here beliefs, opinions, ideas or knowledge makes an illusory self which is transient. This is how memory creates illusory selves or make the "me. These illusory selves are different from the reality which does not die with the death of images and ideas.

(c) Mental states are the reflection or projection of experiences or feelings which are arising through the brain. For an example when I am angry the sense of angry reflects an angry mind. When I am happy the sense of happiness reflects a happy mind. Here happiness is identified as self. When I am worried the sense of sorrow reflects a worried mind or worried self. The sense of depression reflects a depressed mind or depressed self. So such mental states being the reflections of experiences or feelings are identified by many Neuro Scientists as self. So such identified selves are actually experiences such as happiness or pain or hungry or depression or fear. Here an experience appears to be a self. But when the sense of happiness dies I will not die or end with the end of happiness. I continue to exist in another experience. This is the mystery of my existence.This continuity is different from the continuity through memory and the reality which continues is not the illusory self reflected by an experience. An experience which is identified as self is different from the reality which experiences a sensation.

(4) (a) I can enjoy a beautiful scenery by seeing the different fascinating colours, the brightness and shapes and everything. Not only seeing the entire things as a movie but there is a continued perception. A Neuro Scientist can explain all the mechanism involved in my sense of perception from my eyes to the brain. But really which sees the scenery and enjoys the perception in an organism? It is a very important question because when our loved ones die we will feel very sad as they cannot see this world any more. We also do not want to die because we cannot see this world and universe any more. We all want to see. So we need to know which sees everything. Really our eyes are not seeing or enjoying. Because by transplanting our damaged eyes we will be able to see continually. Are neurons seeing? Or firing? In the brain there are specific neurons for specific colours and shapes. Each neuron or group of neurons involves in seeing a very tiny part of my perception. But I could see the entire object continually. Each neuron sees a very small spot of an object. But the entire object is seen by me with all colors and shapes. So brain doesn't see anything. Therefore what is it that sees everything?

(b) We are not only seeing the entire object, but we are continually seeing the objects and changing scenes around us without a break except during sleep or during unconscious. How is it possible for a continued perception while a series of electro chemical process is going on in the brain?

(5) I exist and continue to feel all of kind of changing experiences. So there is a continuity of existence. Otherwise life has no meaning .When I have the feeling of happiness I become happiness. I cannot separate me from happiness. When the sense of happiness dies I will not die with the sense of happiness. I continue to present in another sense of experience. I always present as sense of being or sense of self with my continuing body feeling. This is the mystery of our continuity of existence. If I cannot continue to exist I cannot buy anything and keep it to eat and enjoy tomorrow. If I am injured why I am going to the hospital? Because I want to heal it to avoid the pain which may continue for a long period. Since I am also continuing with the continuity of pain I want to heal it to relieve suffering.

If you are young , don't you expect a pension or any income when you are old? Why? You don't want to suffer without an income when you are old which may be a problem after many years. You don't need to see that continuity for such a long period. Check it only for 5 minutes. Close your eyes and see yourself inwardly. You will see that you are existing and continuing. You will see that you existed and continued during the last 5 minutes. As continued for 5 minutes we continue every minute, every day. How does this continuity of our existence is maintained while everything is changing in this physical structure and mental structure? What is it that continues day by day till death? If nothing permanent and nothing continues then what is there to die or come to a final end when the material brain dies?

Brain causes experiences and not the Experiencer which is the real self. I use the word real self because self is misunderstood in Neuro science. Please see that the mind is different from real self. Mind depends on brain because the contents of conscious mind is experiences. Brain damages alter the experiences or inner feelings. Inner feelings of a person may change or die. But we do not thing that the person is dead. Why? Is it due to the existence of some other thing which continues?

It is wrong to say that brain generates the self or Experiencer. Experiencer is different from experiences. But when an experience arises the Experiencer and experience take one form. There is only experiencing. When a person is angry we can not see the Experiencer separate from the experience of angry. The Experiencer and the experience take one form. Both are in one form. That is why Many Neuro Scientists are not aware of an Experiencer. When angry dies I being the Experiencer will not die with the sensation of angry. This is the mystery of our existence. It needs very deep introspection or inner awareness to aware of this mystery. Life is enjoyment and suffering. Enjoyments and sufferings are experiences. So there should be an existence to feel them or to know them. That existence is Experiencer. Otherwise life has no meaning. Experiences are arising and ending whereas I am not dying with the death of experiences. So there should be some other existence other than experiences. One conscious experience does not aware of other conscious experiences. But I being the Experiencer is aware of all experiences. So what is that existence which continues as Experiencer?

There has been a question or argument whether consciousness continues after the brain death. Why not? We see it very clearly that consciousness continues in the new born babies. But you may say that is not your or my consciousness. Here the problem arises what it means by my consciousness? So there is an involvement of I which is another reality. So the question is what am I? It is not relevant to ask whether my consciousness continues after brain death. We should ask whether I can continue? Continuity of consciousness or consciousness survives death is irrelevant. Because continuity means movement of a same thing. See a candle flame. In the flame there is nothing continues. If conscious is the result of brain process it can't remain the same. So there is no continuity of consciousness even while we are living now with brain. So what is the meaning of continuity of consciousness after death? I don't find a real meaning to the word consciousness. Really we have subjective experiences. Nothing else. Subjective experiences which are the result of brain process are not continuing. So it is not necessary for the consciousness to continue because same consciousness is not continuing even while we are living now.

What is memory? It is a recording area which contains the records of the past, accumulated knowledge, ideas, beliefs and the images of what we had seen. When I taste an apple memory is not enjoying the taste sensation. So the Experiencer is not memory. Memory helps me to compare the tastes of different food items. I can enjoy the taste of an apple without the interference of the memory. So memory is not a living reality. I am aware of the continuity of memory. But continuity of existence and continuity of I as memory are two different aspects. My question is relevant to the continuity of existence.

When I wake up from previous day I would remember my wife, my children, my house, my bank account, my status and position, my job and my office every thing. So memory makes me aware of my continuity of existence. Memory confirms that I existed previous day.

My childhood memories are not continuing now. My childhood memories are almost dead. But my mother will not thing that I am dead. Is it due to the continuity of physical body? In this physical body really nothing continues. Cells live only a period of maximum seven years.

There is a psychological continuity of me through memory. There is a continuity of existence which is different from psychological continuity as memory. The psychological continuity is impermanent. There is no continuity of existence as memory. If I own a car, the memory of the car would continue in me as an image. My existence is not continuing in the memory of the car. If I sell the car and buy a new one, the image of the previous car will not continue in me thereafter, although it hides in the memory. But am I dead now? I exist and continue but the memory of the previous car will not continue in active form. The image of the car is only gone not my existence. When a man gets up from sleep the memory of his house, things in his house, his wife, his job, his office, his files every thing remembered. All these memories make him. After a period of time he divorced his wife, married again, resigned the job , got another job and left the place. Now he wakes up with new memories. Now there is no continuity of those memories. The old memories will not continue when he wakes up from previous day.There would be a discontinuity of images of old memory. But he is not dead. He continues to exist. I don't mean this continuity of memory. So continuity of existence and continuity of I as memory are two different aspects.For an example we imagine a person who is a clerk. He is having the images of his job and work environment. Those images make him and continue with him. Suppose, if he is promoted to manager grade all the memories of clerk will not continue. But he will not die. This is the different between the continuity of existence and the continuity of memory as I. There is also a physical continuity. But in that continuity there is no continuation of a permanent thing or stuff.

(6)What is death? What is the meaning of death? What is it that really dies or come to an end when the physical body stops its function mainly the material brain? Real death doesn't mean end of heart beat or end of brain function or brain damage or end of body or end of experiencing sensations or end of electromagnetic field or end of conscious mind or end of consciousness. Because these things may happen or be happening while we are living and all these things will appear again with the birth of a new baby. You see that experiences are ending while we are living. Heart beat may stop and may start again by resuscitation. One day Scientists may heal brain damage. Death means permanent ending of a permanent thing that existed during the entire life time. So, Is there anything existing permanently in this impermanent physical and mental structures to end for ever? If not death has no meaning. No death at all. Some thing existed permanently getting lost or disappeared is the real death. It may be impossible to search anything after death. So we should find out what is existing permanently and what is really happening while we are living now.Impermanent things such as cells, chemical process, neural activity, thoughts, experiences are dying daily.What is it that really dies last? According to materialism what is it that dies or ending when we die? Cells?blood? Neurons? Brain process? Electro chemical activities? electromagnetic field? Consciousness? experiences? All these things will appear again with the birth of a new baby. So death means not ending of these things which are all transient. Can we find any permanent lasting thing biologically in our material body? Not an impermanent thing like a cell, a sensation or neuron firing or electro magnetic field etc. Such impermanent things are dying while we are living. I need a physical body. But I am not depending on this same body or same cells. We all know that we can replace many organs and regenerate cells if possible. If I have a damaged organ and if I my damaged organ is replaced I will not die with the removal of the damaged organ. I need sensations or conscious experiences. When I am hungry I exist with the sensation of hungry. But when feeling of hungry ends I will not die with it. So I am not depending on a same sensation or consciousness or mental state. I need electro chemical neural activities and electromagnetic field. But I am not depending on a same electro chemical neural activity and electromagnetic field which are transient. So, how can end of the existing body or end of consciousness or end of electro chemical neural activity or electromagnetic field or end of experiencing will put an end to my existence?

Modern Science demonstrates the dependence of consciousness on the brain verifying that the mind must die with the body. What is mind? Experiencing is mind. There is no conscious mind without experiencing. Experiences are mortal. So mind as experiences is also mortal. Mind dies not only at the end of body. Death of Mind is already being taken place many many times when the body is alive. Experiences are arising and ending till the body is alive. So it is not a new scientific finding to say mind must die with the body. Experiences end with the end of body. Does the Expriencer also end up with body? To know that we should find which is the Experiencer of all experiences in this physical structure?

Our physical body consists of molecules which are material substance. According to materialism there is no death. There is immortality. According to Materialists we are only matter, we are only molecules being energy which cannot be destroyed to nothing. When we die every atom goes safely without being annihilated. After all, atoms which makes the cells remain deathless in this universe in a form. So what is the meaning of death in materialism? No death at all. Materialists and skeptics have no ground to talk about death. Because if we are only material substance what is there to die? If we are only cells and brain process we need not to worry about death. Because cells reappear with the birth of babies. Brain process starts again with the birth of babies. If I am pack of neurons can't I continue through the pack of neurons of a new born baby? So there is continuity of life in materialism. Even life continues in such a way, Materialists may say that you cannot continue when your body dies and that is the end of you. Then the question arises ,What am I? Matter being energy is deathless. That means when I die the matter which made me will not die. So why do the materialists use the word death? Why do we need matter to exist? Matter can exist without me according to Materialists. Can't we exist without matter? Why do we need matter to exist? Materialists say brain causes consciousness. Why do we need a brain to have consciousness?

Physical bodies, experiences, consciousness, brain process, electromagnetic field all continue through the birth of new born babies. Life continues without an end which we can see now directly. So what is death? What is it that coming to an end? But the problem is whether I can come again although these things continue through birth of new born babies. So the question arises What am I? How I am connected to these things?

Experiences are temporary but not illusions. I, being the Experiencer which present itself in all experiences last during the entire life time. Experiences which arise through the brain may end when the brain dies and the brain process stops. Can brain death and end of brain process put an end to the Experiencer which lasted during the entire life time?

(7)We want to feel good sensations and do not want to suffer with any kind of painful sensations. So our life depends on sensations. So what is sensation? How does a sensation whether good or bad arise in this physical structure through the brain which is a material substance? How do I feel a sensation? How does a sensation arise Many Scientists say that brain process produce sensations. So can they produce a sensation in a lab? It is easy to explain how liver produces bile and how a electric plant generates electricity. We can understand how material things produce other material things. Here we could not understand how material things produce subjective experiences. Material things are connected to each other. How to connect the brain process with a subjective experience? How does the brain convert all electrical signals into different sensations? There are two things. One thing is feeling of a subjective experience. Other is the relevant neural activity in the brain. We are only aware of the subjective experience like seeing red or tasting a food. But we do not feel what neural activities are going on in the brain unless we use any imaging technics. So how do the neural activities are connected to the subjective experiences?

It is said in Neuro Science that brain produces consciousness or self or mind. Here the word produce is not an appropriate word. It is not like liver produces bile. Because liver and bile are both material substance. But brain is a material substance whereas consciousness is not a material thing. So the word produce is applicable where only material things are involved. If brain produces conscious experience like pain when my leg is injured how do I feel the pain in my leg and not in the brain? What is the meaning of by product in the explanation of consciousness? This word also not applicable to explain consciousness. If pain is a by product why Neuro Science is unable to separate and put it in a test tube?

We can put the brain in the lab and see all material process going in the brain. But can we put the sensation in a lab? No! That is the difference between a conscious experience and matter. We can connect all the material process in the brain. But how to connect the last neural activity to a conscious experience? That is the question. Emergent property of the brain is an escape and a very bad explanation.

Neuro Scientists explain the neural activities of the brain which cause a conscious experience. But there should be a final activity at the time we feel a subjective experience. What is that? In the explanation from the beginning to end all neural process are material.It is similar to a factory where a material thing is produced. But here it is completely different. Because after the end of all material neural process we feel a subjective experience which is not material. So what is the final process or activity that makes us to feel a subjective experience and What is the connection between the final activity and the subjective experience we feel after the end of all neural activities? Scientists may write books on neural net work to explain consciousness but that will not answer unless they connect the final activity to a sensation such as feeling a pain or seeing a colorful bird.

(8) Why does the material substance make this body ? Why does matter make the brain and why does the brain make the self and all the pleasures and sufferings ? Why do all neurons exist and fire? Why do neurons create pains and sufferings and pleasures? Why do the atoms make the cells, brain and body? What is the force that makes the atoms to cells and body and consciousness? What is the purpose of all existence in this universe? Every organ and cell has certain purpose. So life cannot be accidental. The physical structure of human beings are designed to exist with desires. What is the meaning of desires according to Science? Man is living in this world to fulfill his desires. What will happen to his desires if he dies without fulfilling them? What is the meaning of desires in biological science? You may say that desires are biological needs. We need to eat. We need to drink water. We need to re product. These are biological needs. Some Scientists and Philosophers say we are biological machines. But we want to buy a beautiful car. We want to have a luxury house. We want to see the world around. We want to see a film. We want to be respected by others. Why do we have such desires apart from the biological needs?

What is the purpose and meaning of all existences in this universe including the existence of life with enjoyments and sufferings? Scientists say life is accidental. Every cells, every organ in our physical body has a specific function for a certain purpose. So, how can our life be accidental? What is the meaning of Darwin's struggle to exist and survival? What is it that struggle for survival according to Darwin?

Darwin's evolution theory is not explaining the origin of life. Darwin's theory only explains the changes occurring in the physical structure of organism. Even Darwin's evolution theory can not be acceptable. We do not know any other explanation or theory for origin of life. Origin of life and origin of every thing is creation. We can not create any thing out of nothing. But it has already happened in this universe. Creation is still a mystery. Scientists make use of the materials already created and say that they can create life in a test tube. That is wrong.

(9) If the self is illusion , what is the real thing existing in this universe? Is this material universe a real existence? Have Scientists found any thing real ? How to prove any thing as real? Can Materialistic Scientists prove anything as real in the absence of Self? In consciousness every thing is observed. The self only observes every thing. Without consciousness we can not observe any thing. If consciousness is illusion what is observed through consciousness also should be illusion. All theories and concepts should also be illusions because these are the findings of consciousness.

There is severe suffering of pain due to many reasons. Materialistic Scientists say Self is an illusion. Can we escape from suffering of pain by ignoring the pain as illusion? If pain is illusion why Scientists study the brain and do all the researches?

(10) One Neuro Scientist said that consciousness is not a mystery. But he has failed to explain the binding problem which is a mystery.  According to him I am not an existence beyond neurons. But his explanation itself proves that I am beyond neurons. He explains that different areas in the brain feel different sensations. According to my inner subjective experience I can feel all sense of experiences. The area of taste can't feel the sense of smell. Each area of the brain or neuron can feel it's own sensation. All sensations are coming to me, not the signals. Neuro Science explains that all signals are reaching different areas of the brain or  neurons. I am not receiving any signals or sending any signals. I am not interpreting any signals. I am not processing any information like a computer. Neurons are receiving and sending signals and interpreting signals. I am only receiving all kind of sensations. This is the difference between myself and neurons. If any pain in my leg it is coming to me. If any ache in my head it is coming to me. When I eat anything the taste is coming to me . When a bird is singing the sweet voice is coming to me. When I touch the fire the heat sensation is coming to me. All sensation are coming to me. So it is proved that I am not neurons. I am beyond neurons. So what is the link between myself and neurons according to Neuro Scientists? Is there any center in the brain that receives all sensations and not the signals? That center which receives all experiences is the Experiencer. That is I am. That "I" is not the sense of being or sense of I which is also a feeling arising from the brain. Do the Computer Scientists know anything about this Experiencer, the owner of consciousness who claim that they can produce consciousness in computers?

(11) According to Neuro Scientists brain process creates me daily. If so, Can't I have a chance to reappear again without the need of a self or soul with the start of a brain process in a new born baby after the end of this body ? It may be possible to take a rebirth scientifically because brain process is a scientific explanation and not a religious belief. Then the sorrow of death will be healed scientifically.

What is the brain process that creates me daily? How does the changing brain process produce the same Experiencer  or same I which is the real self or real person. The real self means the Experiencer not the experiences or mental states which are identified as self by many Neuro Scientists and Philosophers. Really experiences or mental states can not be the same. I say that even if consciousness does not continue after death, I will come back again after death with start of the brain process of a new born baby. It is not a religious belief. Can those Neuro Scientists who try to disprove reincarnation explain what I say cannot be possible? I do not need to prove what I say because brain process is a Scientific explanation.  So I continue through brain process. Here I do not mean the sense of I or sense of self which is an image linked to body feeling and memory. Life after death may not be possible without a physical body, But there may be a continuity of existence by reincarnation which means taking another body to live .

(12) Why Scientists are doing all kind of medical researches? Because we want to exist and also want to continue to exist. So our problem is  to continue to exist. But while living we are continuing as soul or not as soul in this changing impermanent physical body and mental structure. So we want to find out scientifically how we are continuing now. In the same way we may continue in another new body when this body dies. I move from one experience to another experience. I move from one thought to another thought. I move from conscious to unconscious and from unconscious to conscious. This is the continuity of existence with or without a self or soul. What is the neurological mechanism involved in this movement? I or Self may be nothing or illusion according to many Neuro Scientists. But I exist and present my self in all sensations. We can see this movement or continuity very clearly by observing our inner experience directly. So when I die why cannot I move from one body to another body after death as moving or continuing now from one experience to another experience?

(13)Awareness and experiencing is life. Ending of awareness and experiencing is death. But during our life time end of awareness is happening when we are in deep sleep and in a state of unconsciousness under anesthesia. We fear to die because we think that death puts a permanent end to our awareness and experiencing of sensations and also we will not come back. So,what is the neural mechanism involved in losing of awareness and resuming of awareness in the process of sleep and unconsciousness and coma? During deep sleep or under unconscious states the sense of awareness or conscious of I disappear. But the same I,may be with different feelings manifests again. This information will open the door to see whether there is a possibility of reappearing through a new born baby even without a soul like returning from sleep.

In death we lose our conscious experiences. Likewise during deep also we lose our conscious experiences. When I am in deep sleep or under anesthesia the conscious of I disappear which is similar to death. Loss of awareness may happen in death. L

oss of self awareness is also taking place when we are in sleep or under unconsciousness.

But I do not fear to go to sleep because I am sure that I will come back from sleep.But the same I, may be with a different sense of

feeling manifest again from sleep and from unconsciousness.Why cannot this same I which is the Experiencer present itself again in a new born baby after death by the process which involved in these changing states? Here I don't say that there is life after death and I don't know whether we can feel any thing without a brain. But that is not my problem. Near death experience is a problem to some Neuro Scientists.

So there is return of awareness from sleep and from anesthesia and perhaps from coma. What is the process or mechanism involved in the disappearance of self and reappearance of self? Perhaps by the same mechanism why cannot I come back again or reappear in a new born baby even after death? It is a very interesting scientific question because no soul is involved here. In my questions the word I means the Experiencer and not the sense of I or sense of being which is an experience connected to body feeling, mental images, thoughts and memory.

One Neurologist asks where is Aunt millie's mind when her brain dies of alzheimer's. Before going to that problem we should see our own daily experience and find where am I or you during deep sleep? Where does our mind go during deep sleep? Where will be the mind during the time when a patient is under anesthesia or coma? How does the mind come back from unconsciousness? Is the patient not in a state of non experiencing?

Why Neuro Scientists do all the researches to heal the damaged brain?

If the damaged brain is healed wouldn't the lost mind come back? If a Alzheimer patient is cured can't the mind of the patient come back again? If not why Scientists do all the researches to heal the brain?

We receive experiences through the brain. If the brain is damaged we could not receive any experiences. We will be in a state of non experiencing. We may feel many experiences with our brain. But we dot not feel all experiences together at a time. We may hungry at a time. Another time we do not feel hungry. At that time we are in a state of non experiencing of hungry. When we eat something we feel the taste sensation. Otherwise we remain not experiencing the taste sensation. We may remain without sensing any experiences. It doesn't mean that I am dead. Still I exist but without experiencing any thing. So an Alzheimer patient may not sensing all experiences. But who knows the patient is conscious or not. There is still an existence in a state without experiencing any sensations.

It may be true that when brain dies our conscious experiences also ceases. Not only in brain death but also in deep sleep or under anesthesia we do not feel experiences. But we are not dead. So it can not be a reason to come to conclusion that our existence also end when brain dies.

(14) According to Materialistic Neuro Scientists matter is the only real existence. All other existence are hallucination of the brain. To them everything is in the brain. Now they started to say God is in the brain. First we do not need to worry where is God and what is God. We need to find out our own existence and not the existence of God which is not possible with our limited brain. What is brain? After all, brain is also a material substance. What is the reality of matter? From where matter came in to existence? Are Scientists able to reveal the mystery of matter and energy which are the base of our physical existence?

All explanations on consciousness by Materialistic Neuro Scientists are based on matter which is the stuff of the brain. They say that there is nothing beyond brain or matter. But Materialists do not explain the reality of matter absolutely although they are expressing that self is the emergent property of brain (matter) and brain generates the self. If self emerges from brain from which the source of brain the matter is emerged? What is the ultimate basic stuff of all material objects? Can they prove the existence of matter in the absence of brain process or consciousness?

According to Physics, What is matter? What is energy? How and when matter or energy came in to existence? If matter came from energy or from x then the question arises how energy or x came in to existence? Do space and time really exist? It is obvious and very clear that what we see as world and everything is related to our brain process. When the brain process ends everything disappears. Can any materialist prove that all material objects, including the universe with planets and stars and everything exist independent of brain process or independent of consciousness? When the appearance of world disappears with the end of brain function, the materialism which is rooted in material world should also collapse. So how can matter be the fundamental existence? So what is the fundamental and independence existence?

(15) What is the purpose of Science? The purpose of Science is to fulfill the needs and desires of human beings and to free them from the sufferings of physical pains and diseases. We are all aware that all Scientists are attempting to achieve this goal. Human beings want to exist and want to continue to exist and do not want to die This is also a human need. Can Science fulfill this need and desire of human beings? So re becoming or reincarnation is also a need and desire of human beings whether they believe reincarnation or not. Further there is the problem of great sorrow of death and fear of death.So Scientists should solve this problem too. This is the ultimate goal of Science. Whether reincarnation is real or false every human being needs immortality or re becoming or reincarnation. Neuro Science may deny reincarnation but it is not aware that immortality or reincarnation is a very important need of every human being. So can Neuro Science find immortality or explain if reincarnation already exist as a natural process? I am not talking about life after death. I am talking about reincarnation or continuity of existence.

Soul may not necessary for reincarnation or immortality. Soul may be illusion but that has no connection to reincarnation or re appearing. We exist now and continue to exist with or without or soul. So, soul is not the problem. But it is a big problem to many Neurologists and Psychologists. They write books endlessly on this problem. How we exist now and how we continue to exist is the problem. Our existence with death is the problem and mystery.

(16) We breathe unconsciously. But we can also breathe consciously. According to Neuro Science brain cells involve in both conscious and unconscious functions of breathing. What is that extra phenomena involved in the function of conscious breathing?.

I can move many parts of my body at will. For an example I can move my hands and legs.But I can not move my intestine. What is the extra reality that involves in the conscious voluntary movements of muscles?

(17) When I have a pain I become one with pain. I cannot separate me from pain. No one can separate me from the pain sensation. There is no separation of my self and pain. But when the pain dies I will not die with the pain sensation. Similarly when I am anchored in this body I cannot separate me from my body and brain but when the body dies why cannot I survive after physical death like surviving in deep sleep may be in a state of non experiencing since the brain is lost? What is pain and what is myself ? How myself is linked to pain? When I have a severe pain I struggle to get rid of the pain.Here we understand that pain and myself are different aspects.

(18) The Gene Scientists do research to extend human life beyond 100 years and perhaps to stop ageing and death. They may be success but they are missing a very important point. According to Biologists we are only biological machines with biochemical and electro chemical activities. Nothing more. So what they want to continue in this transient physical and mental structure by genetic engineering? What they want to keep in this impermanent structure without dying since they have not found anything permanent in this physical body? Because death means ending of a permanent thing. Do they want to continue this physical body? Do they want to continue the brain process or electro chemical activities? If so, it is a vain because continuity of physical bodies is naturally happening more than enough by birth of new babies. Neurons and Electro chemical activities are also continuing through the brains of new born babies. Then what is death? What is the need for stop aging and death unless they find anything lasting permanently in our existence?

Now Computer Scientists started to predict or assure immortality by replacing artificial organs. Immortality means lasting of an existence for ever. If all organs and tissues are replaced what remains there to last forever? To which they want to give immortality? Computer Scientists are unable to explain or pin point the existence to which they do the research to give immortality. I think that their aim is to give immortality to mind or consciousness. Without knowing what is mind they want to make it immortal. What is mind? Mind consists of experiences, memory, freewill, thoughts and images which are all impermanent. Unless we experience something along with our thought process there will not be such thing as mind or consciousness. So do they want to make all these impermanent things immortal? It is really a wrong attempt. Because we cannot keep any impermanent things everlasting. First we should find out which is Experiencer of all experiences. What we need is only to understand the Experiencer. Mind or consciousness is not the Experiencer. So which is the Experiencer in a physical body? Experiencer is immortal. No body needs to make it immortal. What we need is only to understand the Experiencer. Mind or consciousness is not the Experiencer.

There are misleading concepts about artificial intelligence and consciousness in Computer science. When our arm contacts with fire we immediately remove our arm from the fire. It is an action. But, at the same time there is an awareness or experiencing of heat sensation. We can make a robot to laugh and cry. That doesn’t mean there is emotional feeling as we have. A robot may respond to light, heat and sound. So it may say that “I see everything” and “I feel heat sensation”. It may respond to our voice and answer to our questions. Such activities may happen without awareness or without experiencing. Computer system may perform such activities. When a computer system performs such activities we can't say that computer is conscious or computer is aware of any subjective experiences. . But we cannot say that robot really sees, hears and feels heat as we do. Experiencing is life. Without experiences there is no living. A robot may perform all activities like a human being without having subjective experiences. A robot may function as our brains do but without having subjective experiences. A patient in coma is not really living.

Computer Scientists have now started to claim that they can create artificial life and artificial consciousness. First of all we should understand what is life and what is consciousness. Awareness and experiencing is life. Without experiencing there is no life. To experience something there should be an Experiencer. So, which is experiencing all experiences in an individual? Before making life we should know the reality of Experiencer? Which part of the computer will act as an Experiencer in a computer? Do they know first which part of the brain act as an Experiencer? Consciousness doesn’t mean actions or functions. So in life there should be an internal feeling of subjective experiences. If there is feeling of subjective experiences definitely there should be an existence to witness that. What is that Experiencer. Without knowing that making a robot with all the functions including our brain functions what we have and cannot say there is life in a robot. Actions and internal subjective experiences are different aspects. So it is a misleading. When we say consciousness there should be feeling of subjective experiences.

Neuro Scientists say that consciousness or self is illusion. Computer Scientists try to create consciousness in machines and to give immortality. Genetic Scientists do research to stop death by altering the genes. The problem is to which they want to give immortality? To which they want to stop death? To the cells or to the neurons or to the self or to the consciousness which is illusion to Neuro Scientists? Immortality means to keep an existence everlastingly. So what is that existence? Do they want to keep the illusion everlastingly or do they want to keep the consciousness everlastingly? We cannot give immortality to the cells or consciousness because they are always changing. Have Scientists found any everlasting existence?

(19) Some Scientists express the following prediction. "Very soon we will create life in the lab and soul is a myth". Creation means making a new thing out of nothing. Matter and energy came into existence in this universe is creation. It has been already happened but not by Scientists. Making a thing from the materials already existing is not creation. So, Can Scientists create life without using anything already available in the nature? If they took anything from nature then that is not creation. That is production. Even Scientists make a physical body that doesn't mean that soul is a myth. Because something like soul, if exists, may need a body to manifest. If the body is suitable it may manifest. I don't say that soul exist. But Experiencer exist. No one could deny that. It is not a religious term or scientific term. It is truth. There may be many possibilities. Making a life is not a wonder because it has been happening more than enough naturally. There is immense sorrow in this existing life. There is sorrow of death and suffering from pain. If Scientists solve these problems in this existing life then it is a great wonder. So, the prediction of Scientists that they can create life is wrong and also not necessary.

According to materialistic Scientists there is only matter. Nothing else. Can they bring all the dead back to life since we are made of matter and they know how to create life from matter? Then it will also be a great wonder than making physical body since human beings, animals and birds are doing that without any kind of scientific knowledge. Can they bring the dead back after decomposition of the body since we are made of matter and materialistic Scientists know how to create life from matter?

(20) I was very tired, lazy with an irritated mood after a days heavy work yesterday. Then I fell into a deep sleep. The sense of being , conscious of I, image of body and bodily feelings completely disappeared which may be similar to death. I or No one had worried because it was sure that I would reappear tomorrow as usual. Now I got up from sleep. I appeared again. I am now strong with a fresh and happy mood. The old mortal mind is dead and gone. I have a new mind. It is not a mystical or spiritual experience. It is a common experience of everyone. What is the neurological mechanism involved in my disappearance and reappearance? How I disappeared and how I reappeared?

(21) Scientists induce out of body experience by stimulating the brain and come to the conclusion that consciousness is not a separate thing and out of body experience is an illusion of the brain. When we shake a tree the bird in the tree fly out of the tree. Like when the brain is troubled by electrical stimulation the consciousness may leave the body as in case of near death experience. So it is not a proving experiment.

They induce out of body experience and say out of body experience and near death experience are hallucinations due to effects of chemicals. So they argue that there is nothing beyond brain and reincarnation is false. Their argument is wrong.Chemical process is involved even when we see real and normal things.
They are not aware of that existence which feels the hallucination and effects of chemicals. If near death experience is hallucination which experiences the hallucination during near death? Hallucination or effect of chemicals is not the point. That is superficial.There should be some kind of existence to witness either hallucination or real experience. That is the crucial thing we need to find out.That existence may be soul or something which may reincarnate.Whether consciousness is in or out really which sees the body? Our eyes are not seeing. Because we can transplant our eyes and able to see continually. Are neurons seeing? or firing? Each neuron sees a very small spot of an object . But the entire object is seen by me with all colours and shapes. So what is it that sees everything? We are not only seeing the entire object, but we are continually seeing the objects and changing scenes around us without a break except during sleep or during unconscious. How is it possible while a series of electro chemical process is going on in the brain?.

Disproving out of body experience and. near death experience cannot be the proof to deny the existence of an Experiencer which is the real Self. Whatever experience there must be an Experiencer or Self to feel or witness that experience. So what is the reality of this Experiencer according to the Materialistic Neuro Scientists?

(22) What is consciousness according to Neuro Science and Philosophy? There is no clear understanding of consciousness in Neuro Science. There are two realities in our existence. One is experiences and the other is the reality which is aware of the experiences or which is knowing the experiences. It is not just knowing the experiences. But there is enjoyment of experiences as well as suffering from experiences. Body feelings and perception are fluctuating and continuing experiences and hunger, thirst, taste, hearing tones etc are intermittent experiences.We feel many changing experiences in our existence of life which is a fact. So there should be an Experiencer which is my self or your self who is aware of the experiences. But the Experiencer is not transparent like experiences. So, does consciousness means experiences or the Experiencer or both or some thing else? But Neuro Science only studies the experiences relating to the brain with the expression of mind or self or consciousness.

Does consciousness include the self which is the Experiencer? If consciousness does not include the self then it may be right to say that consciousness can't survive without a brain which is like we can't have the taste of an apple without an apple. If consciousness includes the self which is the Experiencer then the brain is for an access to have experiences. Experiencer may remain without experiencing in the absence of a brain like deep sleep state or coma state.

Further there are misleading concepts about artificial intelligence and consciousness in Computer science. When our arm is contacted with fire we immediately remove our arm from the fire. It is an activity. But, at the same time there is an awareness or experiencing of heat sensation. Such activities may happen without awareness or without experiencing. Computer may perform such activities. When a computer performs such activities we can't say that computer is conscious or computer is aware of any subjective experiences. Experiencing is life. Without experiences there is no living. A robot may perform all activities like a human being without having subjective experiences. It may respond to light and sounds. But we can not say robot sees and hears as we do. A patient in coma is not living.

(23)There are plenty of books and presentations written by many Scientists and Philosophers on consciousness and mind. But a single book contains no solution to human sufferings. Scientists have done enormous contribution to eliminate the physical and psychological pains of human beings.

But they are still many problems of fear and sufferings. Sorrow of death and fear of death are the most serious and biggest problems.

Scientists should solve the problem of sufferings of all human beings. If I want to experience the taste of a chocolate I need not to study the anatomy of brain, the firing of 100 billions neurons , electrochemical signals,circuits in the nervous system and all the contradictory theories on consciousness.Buying and eating a chocolate is enough. Similarly science should find a path to free human beings from all sufferings. So ,Can Scientists and Philosophers discover the truth of our existence to end the enormous suffering of death than repeating again and again the same statement "Self is an emergent property of brain." This statement will not solve the problem of death. It is really an argument against the belief of soul. Can Science give us everlasting peace and immortality?

(24) We do not want to die or come to an end. So we need immortality. Whether we are atheist or theist, whether we believe in reincarnation or not whether we believe in soul or not we all want to exist for ever. We also want ever lasting peace and happiness. What is the purpose of Science? Scientists should find immortality and ever lasting peace and happiness. Otherwise life is unhappy and misery. Everlasting peace and happiness cannot be possible unless they solve the problem of sorrow of death.

Here I do not mean the physical immortality being predicted by the Computer Scientists. First we should understand what it means by immortality and annihilation. Immortality means everlasting existence of some kind of existence without being annihilated. Annihilation means an existence become non existence. We should understand that in both cases we need some kind of existence either to annihilate or to exist for ever. So what is that existence? Is there anything immortal existing or is there anything continuing permanently in a physical existence during the life time from birth to death? What exists now without being annihilated while we are living? If nothing what existence is there to deny immortality after death?

Generally it is believed that we need a soul for immortality. Scientifically there is no evidence for soul. So we say there is neither reincarnation nor immortality. Why do we need a soul for immortality? Can't we exist everlastingly without a soul? If we are only material existence even though there is immortality. Because matter is energy. Energy cannot be destroyed. Energy, in a form may exist everlastingly. . Every atom goes safely without being annihilated when we die. So what is there to end when we die? Annihilation means ending of existence.

Whether we believe or not we need immortality. Whether immortality is true or false we do not want to come to an end which means to die and do not want to suffer. That is why we go to hospital and take treatment when we are sick. We do not want our loved ones and even others to die. Scientists are engaged in researches to stop death. So we should understand now what is it that wants immortality or what is it that wants to exist? I want immortality whether it exists or not. So we should find out what is this I? What am I? What are you? Do you continue to exist throughout the existence of (your) body? Before immortality we should know what is it that continues and what is it that dies or come to an end when we die? Is it mind ? Is it consciousness? Is mind a permanent existence? Is consciousness a permanent existence? Since mind is mortal how can it become immortal at end of physical body? So immortality is not to the mind. Mind is mortal. Is Experiencer also mortal?

Many Scientists waste their time in proving that there is no god and there is no self or soul or self is illusion. Such attempts will not serve anything to mankind unless they find immortality and ever lasting peace and happiness.

I kindly request to send the answers to me who are interested in this subject and who know the brain and matter well. If every thing is in the brain, my questions can be answered. Otherwise how can we say everything is in the brain?

NEURO SCIENCE AND REAL SELF

Sunday, January 23, 2011

NEUROSCIENCE AND SOUL

Friday, January 21, 2011

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

NEURO SCIENCE, BRAIN AND THE REAL SELF WHICH IS THE EXPERIENCER OF ALL SENSATIONS