Materialism is a mental construct

Materialists assume that both the thinker and the thoughts are physical phenomena that are somehow created in the brain. They believe that nothing exists except matter.

Dualists, like Plato, Descartes, and most Christians, say that spirit and matter are two distinct substances.

Others believe that the material world is an illusion, Maya, and that only the spirit world is real. (Without observers, there wouldn't be any physical reality.)

However, what is matter, really? Electrons and quarks? And what is an electron, a particle, like a tiny, tiny grain of sand, or a wave, like light?

What is dark matter? Roughly 80 percent of the universe is made up of dark matter. The physicists have no idea of what kind of matter this is; they just know it must be there, according to their calculations. So they call it dark matter.

And what is the spirit world made of?

Materialism and spirituality are outdated concepts. Who knows, maybe there is just one world that is both material and spiritual: wind and rain, rocks and life forms, thoughts and conscious thinkers, illusions, dreams, and ideas, synchronicities and various mystical Psi phenomena...

And maybe there are tons of universes out there somewhere.

Materialists don't know what matter is and spiritually oriented people don't know what spirit is. It's a waste of time to ponder over such things. It is much more important to try to figure out how to live.

The electrochemical soul

You don't want to question your beliefs, views, and assumptions. You can question other peoples beliefs but not your own. Even dedicated believers in the scientific method have a hard time questioning their core assumptions.

What is a belief and what is an assumption? What are they made of? Chemicals? Electromagnetic fields? And, what feels threatened when your beliefs and assumptions are seriously challenged?

If someone steps on your toe you will feel pain in your toe. And if someone hits you on your nose, you feel pain in your nose. But, what if someone is questioning your core beliefs, where do you feel this discomfort?

What is the ego made of? What is the self made of? Electrochemical activity in the brain? What is electricity, really? What are electrons made of? And what is an electron, really, a particle or a wave?

Don't trust yourself

Three thousand years ago people took for granted that the world was flat. A thousand years ago people still believed in brownies and trolls, ghosts and witches. People knew that the king was appointed by God and considered trading in slaves as a legitimate business. Today most people think that such ideas are awful and stupid. 

If humanity would live on and evolve for another thousand years, which is not likely, they will, of course, say about us that we were complete idiots and that our scientific, religious and political ideas were uncivilized, vulgar and crazy. 

Your thoughts, views, and assumptions are products of your culture and this era. Materialism, capitalism, sanctimonious religiosity and meaninglessness are not ultimate truths.

Death and dying

How many years have you left? What do you think? 30 years? 10 years? 2 years? When will it be your turn to die?

Will you die in a hospital bed or in a car crash? Will you drown; will you kill yourself with sleeping pills? Will you die from cancer or a brain hemorrhage? Will you suffer tremendously? What do you think?

Do you sometimes wonder what it feels like to die? Do you sometimes wonder what it's like to be dead? Is death like an eternal deep sleep or will you end up in heaven or hell? What do you think?

How many more years has humankind left? Will all life on earth go extinct? Will we all die in a nuclear war or because of the climate change?

What will the universe look like if no one is there to see it? What is the universe made of? Practically nothing; 99,99% empty space? Emptiness between the electrons and the nucleus of the atom?  A few electrons and quarks here and there in the endless void?

What is light made of? What are thoughts made of? Electric fields? What is an electric field? Is an electron a particle or a wave? What do you think?

What is consciousness? You wake up in the morning and falls asleep at night. Is there a switch somewhere in the brain? 

What is all this about?