The Mind Machine

Even atheists struggle with the notion of the mind as a machine; that we are the sum of our programming. We live according to our assumptions. We don't question them, because if we did that we would never get anything done. The problems occur when the assumptions of two different sets of people conflict.

If, for example, you are brought up with the idea that 'good citizens don't spit', it's difficult not feel angry when you see someone spit on the pavement. Your programming has been so effective, you feel disgust towards the person, as if he'd squatted down and crapped in the street in front of you. Chances are, though, they weren't brought up with that idea that spitting is bad, so they are not aware that they are causing offence. They might even be ignorant of the germs they're spreading.

Atheists frequently argue, myself included, we are perfectly capable of behaving ourselves without religion. We have a value system outside of the church which is just as good as any, if not, better. But where does that come from?

We were given it by our parents and by the society we grew up in. As children, at home and at school, we learned what was acceptable behaviour and what wasn't. So, how did society know? Of course, it was passed on from the generation that went before. Our values can change - they evolve, as technology and scientific understanding changes our way of life, they can adapt to new challenges, such as a conflict with another society, or they can absorb values from other cultures. But on the whole, our values remain pretty steady.

Christians say the Bible is a 'good' book; the 'greatest book ever written'. But they're judging it by the values they inherited from their Christian-based upbringing, or 'programming'. Not exactly unbiased. Muslims will say their book is the greatest but, again, they are judging it by their Muslim-based upbringing (programming).

I've lived in closed societies, such as a small country town or village, where values are rigid and anything outside the norm is considered 'wrong'. I've lived in an open society (London), where there's such a mix of cultures and value systems that people become more tolerant. That's why I prefer urban living.

None of this is particularly Earth-shattering news, but, if we realise our minds are machines, each one programmed slightly differently, it just might help diffuse those potentially explosive situations when two sets of value systems come into contact.