Are spirits electromagnetic energy?

Spirits, the mind, our self, that entity that resides in the jelly inside our skulls. It's an observer, a self contemplator and a thought creator, with the ability to create new unique thoughts as well as dwell on the older ones and reflect on them. Incredibly hard to envisage from such basic material as electricity or electromagnetism. 

Thoughts are clearly not electromagnetic, otherwise wouldn't they be accessible to the crude (relatively that is) tools we have? Of course the impulses between the nerve cells certainly are. 

Whatever our mind entity is, it also appears to be idestructible as it 'bounces back' perfectly (often) into existence even after many hours/days of having disappeared off the radar, which is really remarkable and shouldn't happen. If the mind is produced by nerve cells, there's no good reason why it should come back with the same sense of self and memories (after someone has been dead for hours) 

If we take some of the "experiences" at face value (of course we don't have to) we have reports of going faster than the speed of light and also going back in time, both beyond the scope of electricity. 

So, I would say whatever a 'spirit' is, electromagnetism is unlikely to be at work. It's far too wondrous a creature. Just my thoughts, Ian.

4 typos, my eyes are getting worse and worse + one more mistake now, gulp

So, I would say whatever a 'spirit' is, electromagnetism is unlikely to be at work. It's far too wondrous a creature. Just my thoughts, Ian.

I find being able to explain the physical in terms of mind/spirit usually works better than the other way around. Scott Roberts offers such a proposal that aligns with my view that all causation is mental causation:

All things are thoughts. What we call objective is simply the subjective thinking of a mind or minds outside of our subjectivity. I can't walk through a brick wall because the mind that is thinking the electro-magnetic force into existence is stronger than my thought of passing through that force.

I only really differ in the sense that I would probably say "spirit" or "neutral monist-ic stuff" over "mind". It isn't even really clear what fields and forces (or matter) are, beyond the measurement of change and observation in consciousness. We know they can be used effectively to give us technology, but I can throw fireballs by eating a particular flower in Mario Brothers so efficacy isn't proof of substance...

It isn't even really clear what fields and forces (or matter) are, beyond the measurement of change and observation in consciousness.

I think the mind is so beyond our comprehension (it is us, we are it and you can't get behind what is you) it may as well be 'pixie dust', Sci and that's why many materialists keep back from admitting the obvious (that there's obviously something else). 

It's connected to the problem of consciousness, which is unsolvable from a reductionist, materialist point of view. Ian's thread interests me because it's a chance to highlight some of the over extending that seems to occur from some sources. (I don't mean Ian does that)

"Source" is an example of another often repeated trope (by some well meaning but uncritical commenters) but how does that explain anything? One may as well call it "42" or a bloke with a white beard sitting up on a celestial throne. You see them making reference to "source" ...everything comes from source (problem solved then).

Spirits, the mind, our self, that entity that resides in the jelly inside our skulls. It's an observer, a self contemplator and a thought creator, with the ability to create new unique thoughts as well as dwell on the older ones and reflect on them. Incredibly hard to envisage from such basic material as electricity or electromagnetism. 

Thoughts are clearly not electromagnetic, otherwise wouldn't they be accessible to the crude (relatively that is) tools we have? Of course the impulses between the nerve cells certainly are. 

Whatever our mind entity is, it also appears to be idestructible as it 'bounces back' perfectly (often) into existence even after many hours/days of having disappeared off the radar, which is really remarkable and shouldn't happen. If the mind is produced by nerve cells, there's no good reason why it should come back with the same sense of self and memories (after someone has been dead for hours) 

If we take some of the "experiences" at face value (of course we don't have to) we have reports of going faster than the speed of light and also going back in time, both beyond the scope of electricity. 

So, I would say whatever a 'spirit' is, electromagnetism is unlikely to be at work. It's far too wondrous a creature. Just my thoughts, Ian.

4 typos, my eyes are getting worse and worse + one more mistake now, gulp

I mostly agree with that, but perhaps electromagnetism is just a part of a bigger phenomenon that is only visible from the spirit reality.

One reason I say that, is that light (which is a manifestation of electromagnetism) plays a big part in NDE's, and radio waves hook up the internet - which maybe gives us something of a feel of what the spirit reality is like.

David

electromagnetism is just a part of a bigger phenomenon that is only visible from the spirit reality.

Thanks ! But if you could explain how some electricity either direct or alternating could be behind what is typing this message now, I might think a little differently.

One reason I say that, is that light (which is a manifestation of electromagnetism) plays a big part in NDE's

 
The light that is seen in NDE's has nothing to do with the kind of light that is derived from our gaseous star, the light we are all familiar with. I don't think I even want to go there, but it's something of a completely different magnitude/nature which once experienced, forever transforms those that have seen it, so much, that they never wanted to be apart from it again. Our light here is insipid by comparison.

Thanks ! But if you could explain how some electricity either direct or alternating could be behind what is typing this message now, I might think a little differently.

First, I want to say that I probably agree with you, but I'm cautious about being definitive about such issues - if for no other reason than there clearly is some link between the two realms, so this may be that connection. I mean electromagnetism is a slippery thing - those who first explored the properties of loadstone discovered that it could be used to navigate, but they would not have believed that magnetism was part of a complicated phenomenon that was linked to light and also to a potential method of communicating all over the globe.

 
The light that is seen in NDE's has nothing to do with the kind of light that is derived from our gaseous star, the light we are all familiar with. I don't think I even want to go there, but it's something of a completely different magnitude/nature which once experienced, forever transforms those that have seen it, so much, that they never wanted to be apart from it again. Our light here is insipid by comparison.

Well we certainly know that if an ordinary light is intensified enough becomes unbearable, and then damages the eyes. The intensification that people observe as they go down the tunnel clearly cannot be an intensification of the amplitude of the light wave.

David

but they would not have believed that magnetism was part of a  complicated phenomenon that was linked to light and also to a potential method of communicating all over the globe.

I understand where you're coming from but I'm afraid such a progressive comparison is hardly likely to be a reasonable guess at the size of the gap between what we know here (technologically) and what the psyche (or soul) is. I would say it's simply unapproachable (from our perspective) and leave it at that. 

Well we certainly know that if an ordinary light is intensified enough  becomes unbearable, and then damages the eyes. The intensification that people observe as they go down the tunnel clearly cannot be an intensification of the amplitude of the light wave.

I don't think we're quite on the same page here, David. This "light" is nothing ordinary. In fact it's so far from ordinary, those that encounter it say that it is simply indescribably magnificent beyond anyone's wildest imagination. "Orgasmic" doesn't even come close to the feeling (apparently).  
 
It's at the very least, an all knowing, all powerful, infinitely intelligent/loving divine light for which any number of comparisons are groped for--brighter than a million suns is one I've heard quite often (what does that mean? I don't know).

It's never going to be something we can become familiar with in the natural world, if that's what you might be thinking. I guess some deep meditators may touch on it but I think they are merely dipping their toes.

Can one agree with @tim and @David001 at the same time...while also maybe disagreeing with both?

If so I am probably in that space:

Spirituality & Light - What/Why the connection?

Can one agree with @tim and @David001 at the same time

Of course you can Sci, everyone is free to see things however they wish. For me, the answer would have to be no, though. 

 (from the link)  However, if the brain is itself an intrinsically luminous structure. 

I'm not sugesting that our brains are not incredible machines, they are. Materialists think they are even more incredible, that they create consciousness. But I'm convinced (enough) that they don't, so with that in mind and the fact that some people seem to be able to manage without a brain (well 90% of it missing) I'm convinced it's the mind that is the 'luminous' structure.

On the face of it, the idea doesn't make much sense to me because psychic phenomena seem to work regardless of distance. However maybe there is some generalised form of electromagnetism that might fit the bill. I do remember that Seth suggests something like that - but do you think Seth is telling us something important? I came to feel that what he wrote (or channelled) seemed to be deliberately vague.

David

I don't think so. In addition to the phenomena not obeying the inverse square law of distance and intensity, telepathy and clairvoyance, etc. violate too many other principles of electromagnetic propagation, such as the lack of any effect of shielding in Faraday cages for instance. And there is an even more fundamental disconnect, where precognition and retrocognition violate basic causality in addition to the electromagnetic laws.