Are people like computers?
Just a thought, are we humans a bit like computers.
1] The box that houses the computer comes in all shapes, sizes and colours. Just like humans.
2] We have a hard drive, it’s called a brain and it resides in our skull. The brain controls most of the essential functions of the body. Doing so without us even thinking about them. Just like the main processor in the hard drives operating system.
3] We see, hear, touch, taste and smell by the use of our external sensors, The computer receives information from its external sources. We do have the extra advantage of having the use of logic, gut feeling and some might say a disadvantage the feelings of guilt and compassion.
4] Most computers use the same operating system [I know that is not strictly true] but most humans use the operating system given to them by their creator [whatever you want to call him/her]
Now comes the tricky bit, whilst we all have basically the same bodies and brains, our programming differs greatly. We are all of us influenced by our parents, grand parents and siblings initially. [basic programming] Then we go to school/university were we receive intermediate programming. Has we go to work, meet other people, some are friends, some are work colleagues who influence our thinking.
The next main influences on our programming is TV, Media and yes the Internet. Most of these influences have little or no effect on our basic and intermediate programming. This fact is perfectly acceptable to our leaders, be they political, commercial or religious. So we carry on living, doing and accepting whatever we are told. This is the same regardless of whichever country that you happen to reside in, you/we/me are all products of our society.
Now to my main point, if you remain within your country, or within your community if you reside in an alien country that you or your parents have migrated to? The bulk of your programming remains intact.
But if you interact with your host community in the country that you now reside in, Or if you read or listen to other peoples ideas or view points, and yes ways of living and getting on with other people that are different to what we have been programmed to believe.
If we change, be it ever so slightly, our ideas or beliefs [programming] does this mean that our programming as been corrupted? Or does it mean that our programming is evolving?
Comments
This is an interesting topic and I would like to take the questions one step further.
If we consider this universe to be causal, what we are suggesting is that the universe is like a very large complicatd set of dominoes. One domino affects the next. or at cross sections, multiple dominoes effect multiple other dominoes.
But taking this analogy to its conclusion, the question arises, am I writing this comment due to a very complicated set of dominoes and that is that what I would have alwys done?
If not, then the question arises about how things would differ.
A second thought is that most of known science is predictable - once again like a set of dominoes. Do X and Y will happen.
Every thing above sub atomic particles behave with causality - one thing affects and causes the next.
Now in such a domino like world, where does free will arise?
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
To use your Domino analogy. events are a bit like dominos.
Something happens, which in turn causes another event to happen and so on. What we don't know is what created the first event, how that event altered the next event.
Or to put it as Newton said "for every action their is an opposite and equal reaction". this maybe true in physics but with people and nations, this is far from true.
As for free will. One could say that this is an illusion. we are all programmed from birth as to how we react to events. So a particular event seen from a certain section of community is seen as terrible and is met with an extreme reaction. whilst the same event seen by another section of community is seen of no real importance and is totaly ignored.
The only thing that we can do "on an individual basis", is to try to understand the other communities viewpoint and try to shake off, or moderate our programming.
I think it is necessary to learn and to improve.
It's not corruption as all our lives are learning experiences and with time our thinking becomes more nuanced, learning from what we experience and see.
Some experiences can be damaging but if no one thought about burning some meat before eating it, we would still be eating raw food,
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
I like the above, its a bit like the question " who first had the idea to drink goats or cows milk?" In anything someone as to go first.
First an idea is ridiculed, then if a sufficient number of people acept the idea it becomes the norm. Then people ridicule people who don't acept the idea as normal.