You're assuming,' said Dr. Robert, 'that the brain…
““You're assuming,' said Dr. Robert, 'that the brain produces consciousness. I'm assuming that it transmits consciousness. And my explanation is no more farfetched than yours. How on earth can a set of events belonging to one order be experienced as a set of events belonging to an entirely different and incommensurable order? Nobody has the faintest idea. All one can do is to accept the facts and concoct hypotheses. And one hypothesis is just about as good, philosophically speaking, as another. You say that the moksha-medicine does something to the silent areas of the brain which causes them to produce a set of subjective events to which people have given the name 'mystical experience.' I say that the moksha-medicine does something to the silent areas of the brain which opens some kind of neurological sluice and so allows a larger volume of Mind with a large 'M' to flow into your mind with a small 'm.' You can't demonstrate the truth of your hypothesis, and I can't demonstrate the truth of mine. And even if you could prove that I'm wrong, would it make any practical difference?””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote contrasts two views of consciousness: one sees the brain as a generator, the other as a transmitter, arguing both are equally speculative and unprovable.
In simple terms: Brain as source vs. conduit of consciousness, both unproven.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty and focus on practical implications.
Themes
philosophy
consciousness
science
skepticism
Mood
thoughtful
skeptical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- personal meditation
- psychological research
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
mind-body problem
epistemology
subjective experience
Questions to Reflect On
- Can we ever test consciousness transmission?
- What practical value does this debate have?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overlook empirical methods that could differentiate hypotheses.