I just recieved an email, which I thought I would share;

Everything arises from atoms. Genes shape life-forms. Brain chemicals shape behavior. Assemblies of neurons shape consciousness and thoughts. Just how exactly?

A new NYTimes.com article states that:

* meaning, belief and consciousness emerge
from dynamic activity of neural networks

* the self is not a fixed entity but a
dynamic process of relationships

A dynamic process of relationships. Is this the answer? Hmmhh. What do you think?

Maybe the self is indeed a mix-up of relationships involving the own body,
the other people, and the abstract concepts of person, personality and
identity. The resulting confusion which is caused by the attempt to resolve
the mix-up would indeed be a good description for self-consciousness.

If there is no "ghost," "mind," "self," or "soul, just activities which bubble
up from your brain stem, how can we beaware of ourselves? The confusing feeling
during self-consciousness is real, only the 'self' is not. Maybe it is this mix of the real and the imaginary which makes the old riddle so fascinating.

PT