The Error of Conceptual Thought

[Within Silence]

http://unasleep.com/enlightenment_po...ightenment.htm

After reading this article, do you think conceptual thought is an error?

[wstein]

I don't agree that 'conceptual thought' is what is described. The rest of the article is right on. You might also look into the 'Reactive Mind'.

[Masrur Farhin]

Originally Posted by wstein

I don't agree that 'conceptual thought' is what is described. The rest of the article is right on. You might also look into the 'Reactive Mind'.

No need to add any sugar, just tell us the truth

[winter light]

I think the main error possible from conceptual thought is that it appears to create ultimate understanding while it also can lead to a sort of black hole of illusions that do not actually lead anywhere. The illusion of permanence for example.

There is the idea that once there is enough understanding, that there will be truth, and somehow that will be a source of peace or power or control, depending what is sought. Instead it becomes an end in itself. And that trap is sometimes hard to recognize.

Peace I think comes more from intention, and conceptual thought can be part of that process but does not lead it. Rather each understanding must eventually be released to serve the next moment. That release though is an antithesis to the status quo of conceptual thought.

The Tower of Babel in the Bible is, as far as I understand it, probably a good lesson about how conceptual thought operates when it is a dominant process. Everyone keeps building and building toward something but it does not work out as they expect. Nor for the greater good. At least if you define good as something beautiful.

Everything understood up until now is just the beginning of the present moment.

What is more interesting to me than the error of conceptual thought is how we may organize it to serve the greater good. Concepts like peace or love or systems organized to support them. That require something beyond understanding as the primary purpose. So that a legacy of value is created and maintained.

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by winter light

Rather each understanding must eventually be released to serve the next moment.

i think I was pretty much lost, until the day I saw that building bars for my own cage is maybe not the best approach... but everyone else building bars means that if I won't partake too I have to separate from the crowd somewhat. None of us wants that...

The illusion of permanence for example.

So that a legacy of value is created and maintained.

i hope you can appreciate the conflict in the former two statements....

[winter light]

..........

[1Greg2]

To tell it like you see it, you might be sugar coating it. The reader will decide.

[taurmel]

I think...and if you disagree I'd love to hear that, but I think that this author's views of conceptual thought sound a lot like the ego's voice. The way he was describing conceptual thought (opinions) as "I'm fat" and "I'm worried" and all that was just the ego keeping control. Personally, I don't think you can just dump conceptual thought, but can rewire the brain to see things in a different light, such as creating a more positive outlook. That's just initial impression from this author's point of view, though!

[Within Silence]

Full Definition of concept
1. 1 : something conceived in the mind : thought, notion
2. 2 : an abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances

Full Definition of conceptual
1. : of, relating to, or consisting of concepts <conceptual thinking>

Full Definition of conceive
conceived
conceiving
1. transitive verb
2. 1 a : to become pregnant with (young) <conceive a child>b : to cause to begin : originate <a project conceived by the company's founder>
3. 2 a : to take into one's mind <conceive a prejudice>b : to form a conception of : imagine <a badly conceived design>
4. 3 : to apprehend by reason or imagination : understand <unable to conceive his reasons>
5. 4 : to have as an opinion <I cannot conceive that he acted alone>

Full Definition of thought
1. 1a : the action or process of thinking : cogitationb : serious consideration : regardc archaic : recollection, remembrance
2. 2a : reasoning powerb : the power to imagine : conception
3. 3 : something that is thought: asa : an individual act or product of thinkingb : a developed intention or plan <had no thought of leaving home>c : something (as an opinion or belief) in the mind <he spoke his thoughts freely>d : the intellectual product or the organized views and principles of a period, place, group, or individual <contemporary Western thought>
4. past and past participle of think

Definition of notion
1. (1) : an individual's conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined (2) : an inclusive general concept (3) : a theory or belief held by a person or groupb : a personal inclination : whim
2. 2 obsolete : mind, intellect
3. 3 plural : small useful items : sundries

Full Definition of think

thought [thȯt] thinking

transitive verb

1 : to form or have in the mind

2 : to have as an intention <thought to return early>

3a : to have as an opinion <think it's so>
b : to regard as : consider <think the rule unfair>

4a : to reflect on : ponder <think the matter over>
b : to determine by reflecting <think what to do next>

5 : to call to mind : remember <he never thinks to ask how we do>

6 : to devise by thinking —usually used with up <thought up a plan to escape>

7 : to have as an expectation : anticipate <we didn't think we'd have any trouble>

8a : to center one's thoughts on <talks and thinks business>
b : to form a mental picture of

9 : to subject to the processes of logical thought <think things out>

intransitive verb
1a : to exercise the powers of judgment, conception, or inference : reason
b : to have in the mind or call to mind a thought

2a : to have the mind engaged in reflection : meditate
b : to consider the suitability <thought of her for president>

3 : to have a view or opinion <thinks of himself as a poet>

4 : to have concern —usually used with of <a man must think first of his family>

5 : to consider something likely : suspect <may happen sooner than you think>

So, based on these definitions the authors statement; "The error of conceptual thought" is itself an error, which means she's correct , because to think that conceptual thought is an error is itself a conceptual thought, its her opinion. Thus, the mind is a vicious circle, and because it generates conceptual thoughts it comes to believe them, i.e. it produces the idea that conceptual thought is an error and comes to believe this notion which is itself a conceptual thought.

So, as I see it, conceptual thought is neither error or non-error, but an actuality, it is what it is, as error and non-error are also both concepts, just as the author states in the article; "simply abandon thinking that something is heavy or light, long or short, pretty or ugly, right or wrong, and realize these conclusions only serve to describe YOUR viewpoint or position at the time, and nothing more." Yet, what is error & non-error but right & wrong which are both concepts based on subjective opinion, thus the author is lost/caught up in her own conceptual thought patterns and doesn't even recognize it (this is my opinion), yet she's telling others to do what she is not doing herself (this is my judgment). Hence, mind is a vicious circle. How does one break out of the loop?

Perhaps the author knows full well what she's doing in contradicting herself, but she must use the limitations of language to point to the error of conceptual thought.

[r6r6]

Metaphysical-1, mind/intellect/concepts are resultant of consciousness, tho not all consciousness accesses metaphysical-1, mind/intellect/concept.

r6