EU ETI

[Grey Cloud]

Mo,

This is the classical monk method. Dedication is selfish.

Swap 'dedication' for 'commitment' or 'determination'.

I would suggest there are different levels of 'self' - or there is a 'self' existing on different levels.

'experiencer'', 'experiencing' and 'experience' are all the All. If that is the case then 'experiencing' cannot be the ultimate purpose.

[moses]

Grey Cloud,
Action either comes from the past as the self, or else action comes via the connection between experiencing and the brain. If there is some sort of self involved in that connection then that is insignificant to the situation we are in. Like there being free will through that connection only matters if that free will gets to produce action.

One could build a self into a robot but without experiencing it is hollow, lifeless. Real life is through the connection between experiencing and the brain. To get action from that real life is simply a matter of stopping or reducing action coming from all the physical causes, which we call the self.

Consider practicing some virtue. An idea producing action. We could program a robot to produce such virtuous action. Can we program it, or a person, to be passionate. We can have ideals and such that can elicit strong emotion, but even that is experiencing. So the real energy is in, or through, experiencing. There is a lot of repression of emotions in practicing virtue, so there is a big danger of becomming dull. One should examine the sources of emotions but it is still the experiencing that has the energy.

The subject is large but it is still simple.
Cheers,
Mo