According to Science, Do thoughts exist?

I was thinking about this all day yesterday and finally decided to post and get the opinion of other members as to what they think.

Like the title says; According to Science, do thoughts exists.

Can we measure them? Are their dimensions we can compare them to other thoughts with?

If they are not physical, then how do we measure thoughts to prove they actually exist.

I mean besides the fact that we all have thoughts, how do we know what they are and if they are really what we think they are.

For All we know , they could just be programmed actions.

But what i'm curious about is that science is so focused on physical proof of objects to prove what they are.

Things are measured constantly to compare and contrast with each other in many scientific fields, but most of these have a way of being measured.

Even Sound which is not physical in a sense that we can see it, or visible rather but it is a wave length of some sort.


Sure there are psychologists and such that study people's thoughts, but how do we prove they exist. And further more , how do we understand what they are if we prove they exist.

I hope this isn't too weird for some people but it got me really in deep thought ( haha) and I can't come to the conclusion by myself.

And Yes this was a sober thought for those that will post " what were you smoking ? ".


I have read certain posts that in part claim that as soon as we think something, it is created, and that just by thinking of something that somewhere it does now exist.

But what really is this existence of a thought?

Is it just a really un-dense ( for lack of better wording ) energy or light ray that is so lite that we can not see it?

And if it is energy, then can it not at some point manifest into physical form?

If we can't measure it, then does it really exist according to science?


I assume from being here a couple years now that there are many on this board who are much more knowledgeable about this topic than I.



I'm sorry if these seems like a rather spaced out thread or a non-structured post but the way I have typed it out is the way I have been thinking about it.



Thanks to anyone who takes time out of their day to read this. I hope it is not a waste of your time.

[edit on 22-5-2009 by LucidDreamer85]

[edit on 22-5-2009 by LucidDreamer85]

Actually We can measure brain waves and the area they originate from. As research goes on you will find that measuring and identifying thoughts in relation to other brain transmissions will be pretty standard, It is possible.
I like this thread though so I am S&F it anyway. It is an interesting subject.

Originally posted by NephraTari
Actually We can measure brain waves and the area they originate from. As research goes on you will find that measuring and identifying thoughts in relation to other brain transmissions will be pretty standard, It is possible.
I like this thread though so I am S&F it anyway. It is an interesting subject.

But can we prove that brain waves are thoughts?

And if they are just waves, then can we not use them like we do light, radio, and microwaves?

If they are just waves, are they not all just interchangeable ?


Nephra, thanks for the comments thought I'm glad you appreciate the thread.



O and to the Mods, i forgot to assign this to a specific topic so I apologize if it is under the wrong topic and would ask that you move it to where ever it is appropriate.

Next time i promise to be more careful.

[edit on 22-5-2009 by LucidDreamer85]

[edit on 22-5-2009 by LucidDreamer85]

Could a mod change this from the Global Meltdown category because this has nothing to do with any Global Meltdown at all.

If there is a way I can do it also, then please let me know.


I would like to get people's thoughts on my OP but I doubt people will see it in the Global Meltdown category.


Thanks Admins & Mods.

Nice topic indeed. I wish I could give you some info. But like you I will wait and see what more informed people have to say

that is possibly the most interesting question I have ever heard of.
I am at a loss for words while I process this one. If someone doesn't come up with something better, I will try to come up with an answer

Originally posted by judgiebegoode
that is possibly the most interesting question I have ever heard of.
I am at a loss for words while I process this one. If someone doesn't come up with something better, I will try to come up with an answer

That is kind of what I thought when it came to me. ( not tootin my own horn) , but it's just the fact that I had absolutely NO answer for it at all and I figured from my experience the best place to pose this question and possibly help find answers would be here on ATS where we have some very creative minds and some very knowledgeable people.



Still wish I could change this from the Global Meltdown category though. I think more people would see it and then maybe somebody who might know more about it could help us out.

They already have done all this years ago. Every time you think of something you create a electrical signal in the brain, they measure this and they can read thoughts.

this is old news, like from the 50's but science tries to pretend they cannot do some things, lol

Originally posted by andy1033
They already have done all this years ago. Every time you think of something you create a electrical signal in the brain, they measure this and they can read thoughts.

this is old news, like from the 50's but science tries to pretend they cannot do some things, lol

No they measure the electrical signal that happens when you have a thought, but not the actual thought you have.


And It is really pissing me off that Nobody moved this thread to the appropriate spot.

I guess I and this topic are just not important enough to anyone on here.

Hmm I would have liked to expand upon this a little more than half a page worth of posts.

Technically science measures the energy given off by a thought occurring.

Thoughts can come and go as they please it seems.....so where do they come from and where do they go and once they occur and become the thought what happens next?



I already apologized for failing to put this in the correct topic. Is this my punishment or something.

I think it would be cool to have this in the right section.

Mods have switched it before.

Also as soon as i posted this somebody responded right away, but then I can't find this thread on this site unless I go through my member profile . So basically not many people even know this thread exists to even have a chance to comment on it.


That or it's just not a good topic. I really thought it was.

Wow really..........This is making me wonder if I stumbled upon something close to the truth somehow and people don't want it to get out.

That our maybe i did not set this thread up right.

Any tips for next time i start one.

I guess My question will never get answered . Thanks ATS

Well scientists have already displayed thoughts on to a screen,so yes we can measure them and even turn them from little electrical signals into an image on a tv. www.telegraph.co.uk...

Originally posted by LucidDreamer85



That or it's just not a good topic. I really thought it was.

Uh no you didn't think that, thoughts don't exist remember!

But seriously, great thread, I always love thinking about the mystery of thoughts, dreams etc

Also you gotta remember MANY threads don't get much replies, especially those based on science or technology etc

But if you have a thread about some guy claiming all russians are aliens, then BAM, huge thread haha.

[edit on 24-5-2009 by _Phoenix_]

Thoughts are random electrical impulses fired within the unit.

I am, you are, we all are defective units.

We are Santa’s broken toy village in the North Pole of the universe where Rudolph a reindeer suffering from his own short circuiting electrical impulses put them all to good use one shiny Christmas Eve when Santa came to say…yeah, yeah, yeah, yada, yada, yada, I know sign here absolving you from all liability should transference of said defective toy result in injury, loss of life or other damage to property. Thanks Santa.

See, it’s a pretty serious malfunction problem. They came out with Viagra years ago and we are still fighting two wars in the Middle East!

Don’t give up hope; we might still make it under the Christmas tree yet. Only 225 days left until we realize another year’s disappointment! I just had a thought, chocolate?


[edit on 24/5/09 by ProtoplasmicTraveler]

reply to post by LucidDreamer85


Have you ever considered the possibility that all thought already exists? Just as every possible experience already exists in a matrix that has been called the Infinite Now, maybe all thought already exists as Original Thought of Infinite Thinker, and this could be what the Bible calls "the Word".

What if our brains are simply artificial intelligence computer processors and don't think, but merely process thought? What if we were to open our brains to the 90 to 95% power that scientists say we aren't using? What if our bodies were basically biologically engineered artificial intelligence computers on the verge of becoming self aware?

Can we really claim to be self aware when we cannot define the point one percent of ourselves that we call matter? And what about the ninety nine point nine percent of ourselves we call "empty space"?