If you do not believe in god then I would like to see your response to my question

I keep seeing a lot of attacks on christianity these days and as a former non-christian I feel that I can understand where some people come from but I also feel that this is a blessing in itself after being led to the water in life.

I have yet to see this side of the argument be approached in any way shape or form as of yet and I wish to put this side towards any athiests, sceptics and believers.

Im not going to beat about the bush here or quote the bible either because some feel that this is nothing more than forcing views on others.

Here goes.

Think about the brain here and follow what I am saying.

Science is teaching right now that we all have a brain that is programmed via external stimuli which is true in many ways. We learn to speak from our parents in most cases or another person that brings us up. We learn through education. We learn from accidents, not to touch things that are hot or too cold etc. Basically what I am saying is that everything we are according to science is an input of what has happened either too us or what has been taught to us.

That raises the question, how are each of us unique if this is the case, and further down the line if you are unique how are people all the way throughout time unique?
If we are a product of our parents then they are a product of their parents but what caused any difference in the orignal people on the planet who had kids if you get how far back I am going here?

If we are all a product of our environment then why do some people choose to believe in things that others do not in the same environmental circumstances?

If we are all a product of our education then why do some have a natural feeling that they are being lied too and later they find that there is lies.

Why are we different from each other personality wise?

How do you explain someone such as any of the prophets existing or Jesus?

How could anyone with one parent succeed in life if we are a product of our parents influence?

I am sure that people should see where I am coming from here.

Where do your thoughts come from if the brain is not pre programmed by all the things in life you experience including all of the above?

I am looking forward to what answers people have here or think they have because right now I see no answer as to how it is impossible that we actually have a soul that is using the brain while we are here.

Think about where your answer comes from as well

Anyways I think ill wait and see about replies before I go any further here.

Cheers



[edit on 4-8-2009 by XXXN3O]

Firstly, we are all unique because we have choice. I am not talking about that religious scam called “Free Will”. I am just talking about simple choice.

Next, the difference between our DNA and a chimpanzee is about 3%. So with this in mind it is easy to understand how just a very small change in the gene sequence can bring about large changes in the organism.

So each pair of humans that procreate have the ability to make a new human that can vary by millions of differences. It is like a computer that can make 16 million colors from 3 base colors (Red, Green, Blue).

As for social conditioning – this is where ALL ideas and beliefs on religion and God come from.

Imagine if you were raised in a village that had no pre-taught concepts of God. Plus, this village had a very high level of science and technology, so they could easily understand natural phenomena without relegating to angry / happy gods etc.

You see, living in that village you would have no concept of god, and no need for god. If someone try to explain to you that there is an invisible man that lives in the sky that punishes you for not worshipping him, I think you would fall down laughing! I know I would.

Simple really. We do not all share the same brain design. Just like our faces are different so are our brains. Some have denser concentrations of brain cells in one part of the brain than other parts of the brain.

We all have similar brain structure but not exactly. We all process external stimulus differently. If a pattern of stimulus repeats enough or is shocking enough your brain grows connections in response to the stimulus.

Since we all start out slightly different in the beginning, we can have similar experiences but have different reactions, thoughts and feelings based on our other experiences and the differences in brain structure.

Those terrorist can no more change how they think and feel than we can so it becomes us or them when one side or the other decides its their way or die.

Different levels of chemicals withing our bodies and brains also effect how new pathways develop and relate. Since we all have somewhat different levels of those chemicals we end up having different views on the same stimulus.

Women and Men think differently because of chemical differences, brain structure differences and what we eat and experience through our lives.

People who are open minded can train there selves to think and feel in different ways but it is difficult.

Long term depression can be a heck of a thing to change since you basically grew your brain to live depressed. That is why medication is used to force chemical changes to assist in thought changes that eventually can lead to removing the pathways in your brain that have been trained to be depressed while replacing them with more positive pathways.

Could go on and on but the bottom line is we are all NOT the same. We are only very similar.

reply to post by XXXN3O


I have seen you many moons on this board my friend, (literally), and I respect your views and opinions.

I think EVERYTHING boils down to FREE WILL/CHOICE.

THAT is the basis of my faith in the Creator/Architect.



[edit on 4/8/09 by MajesticJax]

Originally posted by WorldObserver
Firstly, we are all unique because we have choice. I am not talking about that religious scam called “Free Will”. I am just talking about simple choice.

Next, the difference between our DNA and a chimpanzee is about 3%. So with this in mind it is easy to understand how just a very small change in the gene sequence can bring about large changes in the organism.

So each pair of humans that procreate have the ability to make a new human that can vary by millions of differences. It is like a computer that can make 16 million colors from 3 base colors (Red, Green, Blue).

As for social conditioning – this is where ALL ideas and beliefs on religion and God come from.

Imagine if you were raised in a village that had no pre-taught concepts of God. Plus, this village had a very high level of science and technology, so they could easily understand natural phenomena without relegating to angry / happy gods etc.

You see, living in that village you would have no concept of god, and no need for god. If someone try to explain to you that there is an invisible man that lives in the sky that punishes you for not worshipping him, I think you would fall down laughing! I know I would.

As a person who has worked within science, imperfection seems to be our greatest strength or weakness, DNA is imperfect and is the reason that anything man made is imperfect. It allows us to improve what we create, also the materials on earth are imperfect which adds further to this.
Using the DNA argument would mean that you are saying you know this along with the fact that there may possibly be a perfect DNA sequence, if this is the case then why does it not exist yet. What human being could create DNA, none, it can only be replicated. This is the reason I have not brought DNA up, it makes up who you are and who I am, we are different genetically but if our brains are programmed then DNA might only effect how much we take in because it determines the brain we have. Right now that is the case but that means the geniuses of the world must not have taken much in and the so called non-intelligent took too much in. Which then would further strengthen what I am saying.

Read my original post.

You mention a village, why is it then that ancient civilisations always have a concept of god? Your sentence about god there is not accurate, read my original post again.

This does not answer the questions in the OP..



[edit on 4-8-2009 by XXXN3O]

reply to post by XXXN3O


This coming from someone with a Neo avatar?

It is our social enviroment that is the problem and it has been for generation after generation for millenmiums. It's the teathers, parents, clergy, peers, etc, etc, that are shaping our brains.

We are being shaped right from birth so we can "fit" into this current "reality", but it's a false reality however. When we start to grow up we begin to see signs of this source/creator/god/it, and start to intrepret it inside this current "reality". Some see this as the true existence of the Christian God, Islam Allah, etc. Some see it as BS and lies but can't understand why.

The Mass majority of people, unfortunately, don't achieve a true moment of awakening. Fear drives them back into sleeping people because they see all their friends and family asleep as well. They feel comfort sometimes in this fear/asleep state so they leave things as is.

A truely awakened mind never goes back to sleep and keeps heading toward the light/source/god/ our true selves. This is where people like Jesus, Buddha, Khrisna, etc., all headed towards. The problem with most religions is that they don't understand why it's not important for these people to have existed. Christians are always talking about Jesus this and Jesus that, God this and God that, but they NEVER follow them into the source. They still believe in their current "reality" and will make excuses as to why they can never become "Jesus-like".

We are all shaped within the construct called The Matrix, just like your boy NEO.

Originally posted by truthtothemasses
reply to post by XXXN3O

 

This coming from someone with a Neo avatar?

It is our social enviroment that is the problem and it has been for generation after generation for millenmiums. It's the teathers, parents, clergy, peers, etc, etc, that are shaping our brains.

We are being shaped right from birth so we can "fit" into this current "reality", but it's a false reality however. When we start to grow up we begin to see signs of this source/creator/god/it, and start to intrepret it inside this current "reality". Some see this as the true existence of the Christian God, Islam Allah, etc. Some see it as BS and lies but can't understand why.

The Mass majority of people, unfortunately, don't achieve a true moment of awakening. Fear drives them back into sleeping people because they see all their friends and family asleep as well. They feel comfort sometimes in this fear/asleep state so they leave things as is.

A truely awakened mind never goes back to sleep and keeps heading toward the light/source/god/ our true selves. This is where people like Jesus, Buddha, Khrisna, etc., all headed towards. The problem with most religions is that they don't understand why it's not important for these people to have existed. Christians are always talking about Jesus this and Jesus that, God this and God that, but they NEVER follow them into the source. They still believe in their current "reality" and will make excuses as to why they can never become "Jesus-like".

We are all shaped within the construct called The Matrix, just like your boy NEO.

So who created the BS reality that we are being conditioned to fit into? The machines since you like my avatar? jk with the answer part there

Watch the film again with regards to the avatar comments but that is just my opinion.

You say fear prevents people from awakening, that is contradictory to the message of god because if you understand it you have no fear. That is one of the major points.

People have not followed into the source because they cannot unless they follow the leader, the leader is the whole point of the gospel. The white rabbit, the sacrifice, Jesus.

I have yet to read a bible that says you must become jesus but it says to follow his teachings as best as you can. People have said this yes but thats opinion again.

People are following but some dont want too.

Kinda dragging off the topic are we not?

Cheers

Maybe I should have added that I am not saying, this is proof of god. I am suggesting that it is possible we have a soul that is using the brain while we are here. Who gave you the soul is another question but its worth thinking about.

Read my OP. I am a christian but that does not mean to say I am saying if you cannot answer my question you can come to my become an organised christian booth because that is not the point and it is not the point of the bible in my opinion. I hope that makes sense to you.

[edit on 4-8-2009 by XXXN3O]

reply to post by XXXN3O

That raises the question, how are each of us unique if this is the case, and further down the line if you are unique how are people all the way throughout time unique?

Good question, an estimated 100,000,000,000 people have lived and died. Now, it seems hard for everyone of them to be special.
And apparently of those 100,000,000,000 people there goals in life, and plans, well most did not accomplish any, so a plan for everyone is brushed off jokingly.

Why are we different from each other personality wise?

We aren't really different at all, take the Barnum Effect for instance, we are all quite very similar.

How do you explain someone such as any of the prophets existing or Jesus?

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy/Frontal Lobe epilepsy, and or damage.
Magnetic waves which are strong in a certain area producing the exact effects as the God helmet.

These can be found in certain clocks, or fault lines, the person experiencing them tend to have weak lobes, and susceptible ones, mixed with a tiny bit of imagination . One reason that debunks ghost stories. We may mistake a shadow for a burglar, but will never mistake a burglar for a shadow.

Where do your thoughts come from if the brain is not pre programmed by all the things in life you experience including all of the above?

Well, we know that cats and dogs don't have thoughts, just animalistic behavoir, although seeing them one would be susceptible to thinking they have their own thoughts like we do. They do, they are purely instinct like reptiles and well anyone whose not a homosapien.

I cannot be 100 percent sure were they come from, but i'd reckon from the frontal lobe which carries logic. Now logic is great! And through the timeline of our species going back to 'lucy' it seems conciousness became whilst at the same time the head formed with a larger front, more room for logical thinking. Now it times of complete panic this will shut down and instinct will kick in, and at a higher panic, they will work together for a final solution to protect your arse.

Here is a good link to the fun that is the brain!

Originally posted by XXXN3O

So who created the BS reality that we are being conditioned to fit into? The machines since you like my avatar? jk with the answer part there

Watch the film again with regards to the avatar comments but that is just my opinion.

You say fear prevents people from awakening, that is contradictory to the message of god because if you understand it you have no fear. That is one of the major points.

People have not followed into the source because they cannot unless they follow the leader, the leader is the whole point of the gospel. The white rabbit, the sacrifice, Jesus.

People are following but some dont want too.

Yes, you do need guides to get you through the "BS" so you can continue the path of being fully awake. But you can also be deceived by some guides. Christian can be a good guide but you have to leave it at some point to continue the journey. If you don't break of it, your mind well became suppressed and your natural energy trapped inside. You cannot gain awakening if your energy is trapped.

Most religions trap your energy by setting rules, which need to be in place when young, but your guides/teachers are are also trapped inside. So your have to realize when those rules no longer apply to you, you move on to move wiser guides/teachers, and so on, and so on until eventually you run out of guides and teachers and ascend towards the source on your own.





[edit on 4-8-2009 by truthtothemasses]

Originally posted by Republican08
reply to post by XXXN3O

 

That raises the question, how are each of us unique if this is the case, and further down the line if you are unique how are people all the way throughout time unique?

Good question, an estimated 100,000,000,000 people have lived and died. Now, it seems hard for everyone of them to be special.
And apparently of those 100,000,000,000 people there goals in life, and plans, well most did not accomplish any, so a plan for everyone is brushed off jokingly.

Why are we different from each other personality wise?

We aren't really different at all, take the Barnum Effect for instance, we are all quite very similar.

How do you explain someone such as any of the prophets existing or Jesus?

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy/Frontal Lobe epilepsy, and or damage.
Magnetic waves which are strong in a certain area producing the exact effects as the God helmet.

These can be found in certain clocks, or fault lines, the person experiencing them tend to have weak lobes, and susceptible ones, mixed with a tiny bit of imagination

. One reason that debunks ghost stories. We may mistake a shadow for a burglar, but will never mistake a burglar for a shadow.

Where do your thoughts come from if the brain is not pre programmed by all the things in life you experience including all of the above?

Well, we know that cats and dogs don't have thoughts, just animalistic behavoir, although seeing them one would be susceptible to thinking they have their own thoughts like we do. They do, they are purely instinct like reptiles and well anyone whose not a homosapien.

I cannot be 100 percent sure were they come from, but i'd reckon from the frontal lobe which carries logic. Now logic is great! And through the timeline of our species going back to 'lucy' it seems conciousness became whilst at the same time the head formed with a larger front, more room for logical thinking. Now it times of complete panic this will shut down and instinct will kick in, and at a higher panic, they will work together for a final solution to protect your arse.

Here is a good link to the fun that is the brain!

I knew you would be itching to post a comment and im glad you did.

The first part of your reply implies that gods plan for everyone is only here on earth when the bible mentions the afterlife as you of all people know.

The Barnum effect is man made, I have replied to a previous poster about this regarding DNA, we are imperfect therefore nothing man made can be perfect. This categorises human beings according to another human beings views.

Animalistic behaviour, why do humans act differently then, we are animals according to biological aspects. Another thing that man is given domain over as mentioned in the bible, animals hence why we have pets, zoos etc.

When it comes to the brain, it is programmed from birth as science speaks about often. Instinct does not develop personality so again I say, where does personality come from. Yes people might share similar views but how can someone have a viewpoint that differs from their whole family from an early age?

By logical standards that is like putting 2 + 2 into a brain and it coming out as 6. But by logical standards who made sense of 2 + 2 equaling 4 if you get where I am coming from, you will see that different personalities do not make logical sense. Logic is man made is it not?

Do not get me wrong here, we can all sit down and think up a god, lets call him Barney, he is blue and lives on an artic monkey that floats across the cosmos. What then and even at that if I could make it believable, could I write a list of things that are going to happen on the earth and they would?

Epilepsy, ok you got me, that explains it.

Cheers



[edit on 4-8-2009 by XXXN3O]

Originally posted by WorldObserver
Imagine if you were raised in a village that had no pre-taught concepts of God. Plus, this village had a very high level of science and technology, so they could easily understand natural phenomena without relegating to angry / happy gods etc.

You see, living in that village you would have no concept of god, and no need for god. If someone try to explain to you that there is an invisible man that lives in the sky that punishes you for not worshipping him, I think you would fall down laughing! I know I would.

Religion and God isn't all about angry God/s using natural disasters for some purpose. The OT God has a lot of that but it certainly isn't the end all be all of God interpritations. And yes, there would be a need for God for a person, since this life is limited in quality and duration. It comes down to the evolution of desire. Someone seeking a spiritual fullfillment has a greater level of desire than someone who only wants various categories of "physical" things. Food, sex, family, power, money, knowledge ect.

Christian can be a good guide but you have to leave it at some point to continue the journey.

There are so many different kind of Christians that that really isn't correct. I remember hearing that someone is considered a Hindu if they simply regard the Vedas as holy scripture. Imagine if being a "Christian" was as simple, regarding the New Testament as holy scripture.

[edit on 4-8-2009 by ghaleon12]

accidental post

[edit on 4-8-2009 by borrowedname]

Free will? Could you choose your next 10 thoughts? Or stop your thoughts altogether? Give it a shot.

Firstly, I would like to start by saying that I respect the fact that you believe in a creator God while I haven't been able to take that leap of faith. A simple answer to why are all humans not physically the same is random mutation. Identical twins who share considerably more DNA with each other than the average human are more genetically similar at birth than later in life (you can look that one up for verification). Plus if you are really going to try to give some weight to the evolution theory , you need to realize that the changes happened over time among a group of primates (ie. more then 2).

Originally posted by XXXN3O
That raises the question, how are each of us unique if this is the case, and further down the line if you are unique how are people all the way throughout time unique?

It's entirely possible to have an infinite number of unique individuals.
What makes us unique from one another is nothing mystical, it's just math. So many variables are involved that make up who we are. If you consider each experience, each thought, each memory, all the traits you were born with, and countless other variables that are in play (the temperature in your room, what you ate 3 Sundays ago, etc...), the odds that all of them would equal the same result twice are next to impossible.

Originally posted by XXXN3O
If we are a product of our parents then they are a product of their parents but what caused any difference in the orignal people on the planet who had kids if you get how far back I am going here?

Well if you believe in evolution, that's all explained.

Originally posted by XXXN3O
If we are all a product of our environment then why do some people choose to believe in things that others do not in the same environmental circumstances?

No one has the same exact environmental circumstances as the next guy. Moreover, no two people are likely to react in the same exact way even if they did.
With large numbers come slim probabilities.
And most people don't realize how many things effect us on a daily bases.

Originally posted by XXXN3O
How do you explain someone such as any of the prophets existing or Jesus?

The real question is how do YOU explain such events?
I, personally, have seen no evidence.

reply to post by XXXN3O

The first part of your reply implies that gods plan for everyone is only here on earth when the bible mentions the afterlife as you of all people know.

I see it like this, if we all of these 93.3 Billion people are in either Heaven or Hell. Wouldn't we notice this? Wouldn't there be some obvious sign that this is where they are?

Secondly, isn't that a little unfair, to through you in a world, against your will, and then geologically set you in a place where you may not ever hear the name christianity, and send you to hell. Seems rough.

The Barnum effect is man made, I have replied to a previous poster about this regarding DNA, we are imperfect therefore nothing man made can be perfect. This categorises human beings according to another human beings views.

You would think a perfect being wouldn't be producing so much imperfect stuff.

It basically says at a point were all the same, but through evolution and geological points of life, we've altered throughout our generations.

Animalistic behaviour, why do humans act differently then, we are animals according to biological aspects. Another thing that man is given domain over as mentioned in the bible, animals hence why we have pets, zoos etc.

Mentioned in the bible, that adam went and labelled all the animals, funny thing is were still finding new animals, and I still have to wonder where the garden of eden is, and if it actually held every animal in it! Food would be scarce.

A dominant species will always have dominion, this needs no divine intervention.

If you can outhink, out hunt, and survive longer you will become dominant.

As a concious being, we can severely out think our brethren. They don't have a shot in hell. Metaphorically speaking of course.

It'd be hard to imagine a very intellectual creature being dominated by well a retarded class of animals.

Like trying to imagine James Bond being captured by Borat. lol, and JB cannot escape.

When it comes to the brain, it is programmed from birth as science speaks about often. Instinct does not develop personality so again I say, where does personality come from. Yes people might share similar views but how can someone have a viewpoint that differs from their whole family from an early age?

Family isn't the only place you get influence from, peers and such too.

I'm sure drug use isn't influenced only by whether your family did it. Just as an example, I am in no way saying drug use is good, it isn't.

An overthinker and analytical person would either agree completely with there family against good reason, or break away and disagree with them.

Or from Continous errors in the guiders thinking. That become blatant and obvious.

By logical standards that is like putting 2 + 2 into a brain and it coming out as 6. But by logical standards who made sense of 2 + 2 equaling 4 if you get where I am coming from, you will see that different personalities do not make logical sense. Logic is man made is it not?

To try to ignore ignorance, I honestly don't get the point your trying to make, so hopefully you can clear it up for me, before I post something completely OT to this.

@OP,

Are your questions only open to Athiests?

Anyway, a simple answer is, to borrow from Chaos Theory,

1) sensitivity to initial conditions.

The problem with most questions about religion is about the nature of duality anyway.

Alot of my christian friends have asked me 'So why don't you believe in god?'
I say what on earth are you talking about. Just because I hate christianity and most religions doesn't mean I don't believe in god.

Are you of the same type of thinking as my friends?
People may bash christianity, but that doesn't always mean they don't believe in God.

Religious debate is tough, so all I can offer is MHO
My religion is personal and will remain that way!
My thoughts on christianity is, if you took an infant, and raised that child
hold on, lets say 1000 childeren ...thats better
raise these childeren without any sort of religious teachings, keep them far and removed from the bible. Say an island, let them read, write, talk amongst each other "remember no outside influence"
And see if God or Jesus or any of the stories from the bible ever come up.

If any religion is true and sooo right, then it should come natural and should not have to be taught, read, forced, evangilized sp?
Sorry that my reply is so short, I just believe it is real easy to put it to a test, and the answer has already been proven IMHO
Native americans "1st example that comes to mind among many" never heard of the bible, yes they had their own beliefs, and I believe they are most likely closer to the truth than most ppl that are influenced by church or TV or mass groups, which they feel obligated to join, so as not to be an outsider, or rediculed.
I really wish I had the answer but, it is much like talking about UFO's
It can't be proven, you "believe or you don't believe" same as the UFO crowd.
Not sure why I felt compelled to tell you this but O-well
@ least I bumped yer thread.

reply to post by XXXN3O


I'm not a Christian or Atheist myself I'm an agnostic but I'd like to take a crack at some of your questions:

How are each of us unique? This is a many-tiered question, on the genetic level each of us is a product of a male and female reproductive cell, most cells are unique in one way or another and when they meet they create a unique genetic code that has never existed before. That being said the genetic code of each individual is HIGHLY similar to that of other human beings, we are alike in far more ways than we are different otherwise we would almost never socialize at all. Personality has to do with experiences and how we react and cognitively process everything that happens to us, all the info we absorb and how we perceive everything around us. All of that is reliant on something we humans have that no other animal (so far as we can tell) has, Consciousness, we are "self-aware".

Consciousness takes something that other animals rely on, instinct, one step further, to create a complex mind capable of abstract thought, language, etc. Language is hardwired into our brains from birth. No one really knows for sure where Consciousness, complex emotions, and other aspects of human personality development came from originally whether it was a natural development over the course of time (evolution) or the product of some tinkering by a higher power (aliens, god, etc)...

Complex thought can only exist because of language, if you had never been taught language you would not be able to quantify simple objects with words, you would not see any correlation between the word CHAIR and the object. The same can be said for emotions... emotions go far deeper than words, the word is just a representation of an abstract feeling such as love, it could be argue that the feeling, love, would exist even if the word were not present, however without language, without the word, no THOUGHTS could be formed about the emotion because it would an unknown... In some ways the concept of God is like this, in that God (historically) is a personification of unknowns within the natural world and within ourselves, we didn't understand why volcanoes erupted so we made up gods with familiar faces to explain it. We didn't understand anger or mental illness so we made up demons that controlled people. God is a personification of the unknown, the "Great Mystery" so-to-speak...

We all see things differently, human perception is fairly complex, its one of the reasons there are so many denominations of different religions. How many Christian denominations are there? This is because each group perceives the teachings differently and just as each group perceives it differently so each individual too will differ slightly from another in their interpretation of religious teachings/stories (and other things as well)...

As for Jesus I have the following to say on the matter -

Historians are still debating whether Jesus (or Yeshua of Nazareth) actually existed, my thoughts are that in some form he must have. Jesus was a great philosophical mind although his teachings have since been corrupted, misused, etc... It is my belief that the real Jesus was quite a rebel in his day, he taught that you didn't need a priest or a church or rituals. You didn't need to pay tithe or follow the old laws in order to be saved. This was an idea that turned establishment religion on its head at that time, here was a guy saying he was the son of God, saying that WE ALL were the sons and daughters of God, saying that the MEEK and POOR would inherit the riches of the Kingdom. With such a revolutionary message its no wonder they killed him, they wanted to make profit after all, and they couldn't do that if the people decided to stay home and find God for themselves by loving one another or following the Golden Rule.

So after they assassinated Jesus some time went by, but the man's teachings lived on because they were so revolutionary. The Christians were being a real bother to the Romans, the Romans had even tried feeding the Christians to lions but nothing worked... so Constantine, the Emperor, decided to kill Christ's religion by making it State Sponsored. There you have it, Christ's religion died and became censored, twisted, and out-right killed by the Romans, all sorts of pagan nonsense was put in and perfectly viable Gospels and books were tossed out of the Bible. The message was lost in translation and the religion was used to uphold war, tyranny, crusades, inquisitions and all manner of evil...

So yes Jesus was unique, he was a great thinker thanks to abstract concepts provided by language (to tie it all together)