How do you become you?

Patri · 13-11-2010 12:19AM #1

So I was studying biology today, the human reproductive system and it got me thinking, how do you become you?
For instance, when you develop a brain do you suddenly develop consciousness? Or are you aware of yourself before fertilisation?

Just pointless thoughts but it's kind of interesting.

galwayrush · 13-11-2010 12:20AM

I'll have a double black rum if you're buying.:)

alwaysadub · 13-11-2010 12:21AM

With me, something got fcuked up somewhere anyway!

KeithM89_old · 13-11-2010 12:21AM

"So I was studying biology today,"

You lost me there....

digme · 13-11-2010 12:23AM

Patri wrote: »

So I was studying biology today, the human reproductive system and it got me thinking, how do you become you?
For instance, when you develop a brain do you suddenly develop consciousness? Or are you aware of yourself before fertilisation?

Just pointless thoughts but it's kind of interesting.

Consciousness produces the brain

Patri · 13-11-2010 12:23AM

galwayrush wrote: »

I'll have a double black rum if you're buying.:)

:pac:

darragh16 · 13-11-2010 12:23AM

Patri wrote: »

So I was studying biology today, the human reproductive system and it got me thinking, how do you become you?
For instance, when you develop a brain do you suddenly develop consciousness? Or are you aware of yourself before fertilisation?

Just pointless thoughts but it's kind of interesting.

There was a spider in the bath the other day...

Mint Sauce · 13-11-2010 12:23AM

I was in my grannies womb

Princess Peach · 13-11-2010 12:24AM

irish-stew wrote: »

I was in my grannies womb

Now thats a messed up family tree!

raah! · 13-11-2010 12:25AM

What if people start talking about abortion!?

All that pleasant speculation ruined.

In my opinion, when looked at from a chemical/material basis, there's never really such a thing as "you". Unless 'you' is just some label arbitrarily mashed onto a clump of cells. "Consciousness" can be said to be just neurons firing in a certain way or arranged in this or that fashion.

The firing of those neurons is determined by physics and chemistry, so things you "think" aren't really thought by you, but just matter interacting with other matter, all of which is governed by physics.

Mint Sauce · 13-11-2010 12:26AM

Princess Peach wrote: »

Now thats a messed up family tree!

So was every one, think about it for a mo

13-11-2010 12:26AM

Patri wrote: »

So I was studying biology today, the human reproductive system and it got me thinking, how do you become you?
For instance, when you develop a brain do you suddenly develop consciousness? Or are you aware of yourself before fertilisation?

Just pointless thoughts but it's kind of interesting.

René Descartes had a long day at work telling people "I think therefore I am". By the time he got to the bar he was hankering for a guinness big time.

"Hey René" said the barman "a coke again tonight is it?"

"I think not" replied René Descartes.

So he disappeared.

Princess Peach · 13-11-2010 12:27AM

irish-stew wrote: »

So was every one, think about it for a mo

Do I need to give you lessons on the female reproductive system?

13-11-2010 12:29AM

raah! wrote: »

What if people start talking about abortion!?

There is always one.

aidan_walsh · 13-11-2010 12:31AM

irish-stew wrote: »

So was every one, think about it for a mo

Pretty sure I was never near your gran.

karlog · 13-11-2010 12:31AM

Princess Peach wrote: »

Do I need to give you lessons on the female reproductive system?

Why are you a lesbian?

Princess Peach · 13-11-2010 12:33AM

aidan_walsh wrote: »

Pretty sure I was never near your gran.

Hahaha!

According to him everyone was in his gran at some stage!

johnnyskeleton · 13-11-2010 12:34AM

Deleted User wrote: »

René Descartes had a long day at work telling people "I think therefore I am". By the time he got to the bar he was hankering for a guinness big time.

"Hey René" said the barman "a coke again tonight is it?"

"I think not" replied René Descartes.

So he disappeared.

That was Des Carthy, from Co. Clare.

MagicMarker · 13-11-2010 12:37AM

Patri wrote: »

Or are you aware of yourself before fertilisation?

Your biology teacher should be sacked.

Mint Sauce · 13-11-2010 12:39AM

Princess Peach wrote: »

Hahaha!

According to him everyone was in his gran at some stage!

nooooooooooo, they were in their own gran.

a females eggs or ovas, are formed by the time she is born. meaning that i was in my own grans womb as an unfertilised egg in my mother

everyone else was in their own gran

Calibos · 13-11-2010 12:40AM

Princess Peach wrote: »

Do I need to give you lessons on the female reproductive system?

No, but it seems you need them

A female fetus is born with all the eggs the female will ever have in her ovaries. ie, the egg that you or your brother etc came from was inside your mother while she was still a fetus inside your gran. Sperm on the other hand are 'made to order' so to speak

baltimore sun · 13-11-2010 12:41AM

raah! wrote: »

The firing of those neurons is determined by physics and chemistry, so things you "think" aren't really thought by you, but just matter interacting with other matter, all of which is governed by physics.

Can't argue with that.

If you really want to get freaked out go download yourself some podcasts on mirror neurons & neuroscience, they'll pretty much explain that nothing is real and everything is merely only perceived and how humans perceive things because they're basically accepted as that while an animal can perceive the exact same thing in a completely different way. See, for example, how dogs perceive time, see also how bats and "see" sound, see also how some animals "see" scents

It's fascinating stuff altogether.

But on a basic level, I think that a "you" doesn't exist until birth, before that you're not really properly alive so can't you be a "you".
horrah for science.

scientific1982 · 13-11-2010 12:41AM

The brain is the hardware and the environment is the software. However, we are all born with some predetermined traits.

13-11-2010 12:42AM

Was there not something about this before? How our actions are determined by other experiences that make us more alert about our surroundings, but also make us more conscious to the fact that we're more alert?

There's some theory out there. Can't remember the name of it, but I'm fairly sure the word "Omega" is in the title of it.

It's something to do with the human race become more aware of things surrounding us (dangers, threats, damaging the environment, etc), which makes us more conscious of ourselves and our actions (more paranoid, etc.), and not being able to turn back to a prior point, and this going on and on until we're essentially drones or some such. Too afraid to do anything, but conscious, so we realise that we're afraid. I think.

I didn't read it all. It was a head melter for the short while I did look at it.

In fact, if anyone knows what I'm talking about, and read it and understands it, I'd love to hear a joe-soap version. Very interesting, though.

Princess Peach · 13-11-2010 12:42AM

irish-stew wrote: »

nooooooooooo, they were in their own gran.

a females eggs or ovas, are formed by the time she is born. meaning that i was in my own grans womb as an unfertilised egg

Thats not a person though!

Stop trying to find a way of salvaging your gran's reputation.

Mint Sauce · 13-11-2010 12:43AM

Calibos wrote: »

No, but it seems you need them

A female fetus is born with all the eggs the female will ever have in her ovaries. ie, the egg that you or your brother etc came from was inside your mother while she was still a fetus inside your gran. Sperm on the other hand are 'made to order' so to speak

<phew>

someone who got my post

Mint Sauce · 13-11-2010 12:45AM

Princess Peach wrote: »

Thats not a person though!

Stop trying to find a way of salvaging your gran's reputation.

ah you know what i meant

13-11-2010 12:47AM

Patri wrote: »

how do you become you?

In my usual format of following up a dumb ass post with a semi seious one.... if you really want to get pedantic about it you become you every moment of every day.

You are the sum of your parts and you are the sum of your experiences. The "you" that exists "now" became that "You" the moment before.

The "You" that is "You" changes every moment... meaning the "you" that was "you" that read the first word of this post... the post that the "i" that was "i" wrote.... is not the same "you" reading the same "i" that was the "i" that wrote the post before the "you" that is "you" now started to read it back when the "you" that is "you" now was the "you" that "you" were then when you first opened it.

Do "you" get it now? Or at least does the "you" that gets it now realise what the first "you" that understood it first understood when that "you" got it?

raah! · 13-11-2010 12:47AM

baltimore sun wrote: »

Can't argue with that.

If you really want to get freaked out go download yourself some podcasts on mirror neurons & neuroscience, they'll pretty much explain that nothing is real and everything is merely only perceived and how humans perceive things because they're basically accepted as that while an animal can perceive the exact same thing in a completely different way. See, for example, how dogs perceive time, see also how bats and "see" sound, see also how some animals "see" scents

It's fascinating stuff altogether.

Deary me! I have no intention of being freaked out

. It is very interesting though.

Princess Peach · 13-11-2010 12:48AM

I definitely wouldn't be calling an egg a person with thoughts though.

You're clever quip did not amuse me.

evercloserunion · 13-11-2010 12:49AM

The sixth day.

How do you become you?

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