179 of 188

Write now Article Tools

Consider the following thought experiment describing the "experience" of the color red by a human being.

Experiencing the color red starts with a specific wavelength range of light hitting the back of your eye, where rods and cones and various complexities convert the signal into electrical impulses which are then routed to the brain. Now, what is red to some may be different to others due to a difference somewhere in the chain of physiological structures. Your "experience" of the color red is your individual physical structure and preexisting neural framework of your brain which has evolved over your lifetime thus far, reacting to the new signals being transmitted for this "experience". It will be most likely be slightly different the next time you "experience" the color red. If you watch a horror flick, new neural connections may form which cause your next "experience" of the color red to remind you of the movie. You could suffer physical damage which modifies the physical structure of your brain and therefore changes your subsequent "experiences" of the color red. (ie, can only see black and white)

The brain is a physiological structure capable of physically altering it's makeup in response to the manner of electrical impulses sent to it via the body's nervous system (senses). The association of the brain's response to a specific wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum is created over time, and in English-speaking individuals one of those is associated in a symbolic manner with the lingual expression "red". There are a host of other associations made as well within the physical structure of the brain.

Bottom line, everything in what I've described exists in the same 'plane', if you will. Intelligence is only a budding capability of the human brain, and the brain's evolution and function is not yet understood well enough by the intellect available in order for the human species to appreciate the physical complexities taking place within us.

Human intelligence has an inherent need for classification and understanding. Many physiological complexities evolved over millions of years are far beyond our current ability to understand, or classify in a meaningful way. Yet this human need still requires fulfillment (a function of a mostly ubiquitous physical structure within the brains of the human population which gives rise to instinct). We normally use approximations and a set of assumptions that seem reasonable to the individual making the assumption. These approximations and assumptions are a way to classify the unknown in a rather convenient way.

Thus, we assume God, Allah, Thor, Zeus, or whatever example you like. The concept of a deity is a romantic notion the human race imposes upon itself due to our lack of understanding. In time I hope our understanding will improve to the extent that this self-delusion will become unnecessary.

Learn more about this author, Draven.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Reasons not to believe in God?
We want to hear your view. Write now!