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>Message-ID: <001e01be2508$73da3940$cb7ed6ce@lithien.ix.netcom.com>
>From: "Lithien" <Lithien@ix.netcom.com>
>To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
>Subject: Re: MD the zombie within
>Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 08:16:21 -0500
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>dear squad:
Dear Lithien,
Thank you for bringing them to my attention. Fascinating and insightful
articles that ask more questions then give answers!
Wonderful! What is Consciousness?
Paul.
>
>i would like to bring your attention to the letter quoted below. i =
>wasn't the only person to make the same connection to zen and the =
>articles on the zombie within. it makes me happy to see validation for
=
>my thoughts.
>
>lithien
>
>
>now and zen=20
>as an artist and potter, I was fascinated by the recent scientific =
>studies on "unconscious awareness" skills ("Irresistible illusions", 5
=
>September, p 32). The "instinctive feel" aspect of perception plays a =
>very important role in areas that are often attributed, falsely, to
some =
>mysterious "talent" that artists are credited with possessing. In fact,
=
>artistic "talent" may simply be an ability to let the Zombie get on
with =
>the job.=20
>
>For example, several hours of my working week are spent drawing a
figure =
>from life. There are good days, when every mark on the paper goes just
=
>where it should, and bad days when the simplest drawing seems laboured
=
>and clumsy. I put this down to being in or out of "the flow".=20
>
>Significantly, "blind" drawing (where one looks only at the model, not
=
>at the paper, while drawing) helps get one in "the flow". Now we know =
>why.=20
>
>Similarly, on a more modest level, when throwing a production run of =
>pots, in order to ensure consistent size, the clay must be weighed for
=
>every bowl. A long cylinder is roughly rolled out, and the necessary =
>amount is twisted off for weighing. Again, there are good days and bad
=
>days in terms of accurately estimating the desired amount of clay per =
>twist.=20
>
>Since reading the article on Zombie mind, I've experimented by averting
=
>my gaze at the moment of twisting off the clay. Result: immediate =
>improvement. The clay pieces were within a gram or so of the target =
>weight each time, accurate enough for a pot.=20
>
>Doubtless athletes and sportsmen can give similar examples. So let's =
>dignify our "Zombie" with the title it was given in a culture which =
>understood its importance long ago--namely, "Zen mind".=20
>
>ANTHONY O'BRIEN
>
>
>http://members.tripod.com/~lithien/Lila2.html
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lithien <Lithien@ix.netcom.com>
> To: lila <moq_discuss@moq.org>
> Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 8:00 AM
> Subject: MD the zombie within
> =20
> =20
> dear glove, gene, fintan, bodvar and squad:
> =20
> i don't know how many of you took the time to read and explore the
=
>articles that diana sited. for those who didn't, here is a second =
>chance:
> =20
> http://www.newscientist.com/ns/980905.intro.html
> =20
> they are very much worth studying since they bring a totally new =
>perspective on this month's topic. =20
> =20
> the running metaphor of the articles is "the zombie within" and
they =
>explore in four parts this new concept of the mind which has been
backed =
>up by scientific experiments. from the very beginning it is stated =
>that, #1) the zombie is a metaphor to illustrate "a division in our =
>mental life that is on one level mundane, an at another, deeply
strange" =
>and #2) that when researchers speak of the strange part, ie the =
>unconscious, "they are referring to perceptual and information =
>processing skills rather than anything darkly Freudian". i state this
=
>to stop early on any attacks on this concept being anything mystical or
=
>spiritual, god forbid!=20
> =20
> the four parts are: =20
> =20
> 1. The Zombie Within - an overall look which defines the concept =
>and explores its general ramifications. one of its most interesting =
>assertions is that although "we have this assumption about ourselves =
>that mind and consciousness are synonymous" nothing could be further =
>from the truth. the next three parts explain and substantiate this =
>concept.
> =20
> 2. Irresistible Illusions - this section explains how the =
>unconscious brain and body know things about the world that you don't.
=
>What you see "out there" is often illusion (this would parallel SOM =
>thinking) not reality. and worse of all, you yourself are not in =
>control of your own perceptions and actions.
> =20
> 3. Out of sight, into mind - this part shows how scientists's =
>experiments have determined this unconscious side and redefined what
the =
>nature of consciousness is.
> =20
> 4. I had a hunch... - this is the part which i found irresistible
=
>in connecting it to instinct and my discussion that was categorized as
=
>spiritual and mystical. it explores "the underlying notion that the =
>brain has two distinct modes of thinking: one verbal, logical and =
>conscious, the other nonverbal, and unconscious'. now this may not =
>sound new to some but there is very different research in this respect
=
>today. according to this new research, non-verbal thinking, or =
>nonconscious thinking "is rooted in mechanisms that enable the brain to
=
>soak up and ruminate on information, looking for subtle patterns and =
>connections, behind your back--without the aid of words, and in many =
>cases without your being conscious of what's going on". additionally,
=
>it states that "verbalization...impairs judgment based on intuition".
=
>which to me, explains why it is so hard for people like me to sometimes
=
>elucidate my experiences so that others may understand. it also goes =
>hand in had with zen's many allusions to non-verbal understanding.
> =20
> please read these articles. they are worth your attention. i love
=
>to explore new avenues of thought and do not deter from doing so even =
>though some may threaten some of my cherished long-held beliefs. but,
i =
>do recognize that all of us are a world upon themselves and it is hard
=
>sometimes to do so.
> =20
> i welcome any input to discuss these articles in depth for it is in
=
>the discussion that we teach each other.
> =20
> Lithien
> =20
> =20
> =20
> http://members.tripod.com/~lithien/Lila2.html
> =20
> =20
>
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