Idealism

Some thoughts (actually more questions than thoughts) on Idealism, primarily the perspective of the Simple Model of Physics and Consciousness.

First a definition - Idealism is the view that reality is fundamentally mental. That mind or consciousness is primary, and that what we call the “physical world” depends on, is constituted by, and/or is knowable only through mental activity.

I guess that in some sense, if we want to call the most fundamental building blocks of reality, “mind” instead of atoms or quarks (or bits) (or the mind of god) than I’m fine with that… I guess? But at that level, it’s not really a meaningful distinction, and for the idealists I typically encounter online it’s not enough, apparently to say that quarks are really “mind” but after that we 100% agree with materialists or physicalist interpretations of reality.

And here I guess I should say that I’m mostly either a physicalist and then an I-don’t-know-ist. The label I would probably most prefer for myself is something like an empiricist, or a truth seeker.

It seems to me that most idealists that I encounter online find it very important that we agree that mind is primary and they are staunchly anti-materialist.

Some probing questions for idealists -

  1. Have you always been an idealist, or did you have some formative experience, insight or revelation that cause you to become one?

  2. If so, what was the nature of this experience or insight?

  3. Have you experienced ego death? Was something along the lines of ego death formative to this experience.

  4. Is it enough to say, “ok, maybe we could call atoms and quarks mind instead of matter.” is that satisfactory?

  5. Why isn’t telepathy routine?

  6. Why don’t I remember my ancestors thoughts and experiences?

  7. Suppose I arrange 5 vials with alcohol, psilocybin, arsenic, saline, morphine and link them to an IV with a computer randomizer that randomly activates one of them into my IV, unknown to me. I presume that my lived conscious experience over the subsequent hour will vary greatly depending on the random computer selection. Why?