Phantom limb...do you believe in ghosts?

Alright, so I just kinda thought about this as I was about to write another response to Roary's "Do we have souls" thread. I don't have a valid argument for it to go in "something for all" but its an abstract concept I'd like to share.


Do you guys know what phantom limb is? For those who don't here you go.
definition: "The sensation that an amputated or missing limb (even an organ, like the appendix) is still attached to the body and is moving appropriately with other body parts." - wiki
There's more to the definition, I shortened it up...but you get the gist.

Yes I'm comparing the phantom limb phenomenon to Ghost's in a way. If you stretch it a tiny bit it may not be that far from the truth.
My rational: People who experience phantom Limb are obviously people who lost a body part. Some patients say they can feel them wiggling their toes/fingers get itches, pain, tickling, etc. . .I have a buddy that lost both of his legs and I'll never forget him saying that there's nothing worse than an itch you can't scratch. Even though we can see his legs aren't there the feelings are very real to him.

Anyway, maybe the phenomenon of ghost's are the same (if they exist). In this case they lost their whole physical body but still feel the sensation of having one thus doomed to walk the earth.

Sorry if I rambled a bit...thoughts?

EDIT: Rereading through I'd imagine most of the arguments will be geared towards "but the brain is what's controlling those sensations and if the brain is gone so are the feelings". I guess you would have to believing in something more that's controlling us.

 

I wouldn't even go as far as your response, just the word sensation nails the argument.

edit: nope, I didn't.

 

Perhaps it's a similar sensation.

I.e. you're used to a limb being there and so you feel like its still there when it's missing and likewise you're used to a friend or family member being there so you still feel their presence when they're gone.

Naw, I dont for a second believe in spirits. There would have to be a traceable physical matter and there just isnt the scientific proof there.

 

Mmmm, well played. Should have chosen my words more carefully =p.


Roary - That's definitely a more logical spin on it, I could say that's something that is true for some!

 

I really don't believe in spirits or anything of that nautre. At one point I considered it but after watching countless hours of the TV shows about finding such things have driven me away from believing at all.

I believe it would come down to your body going back to it's roots and forgetting that it's missing a limb. More of a mental stimulation than anything else.

 

Don't believe in ghosts, but i'm an Ancient Astronaut Theorist, i.e "ALIENS" guy.

Despite me not believing in ghosts i've seen some strange things i've got no logical explanation for, YET.

 

That is even worse than believing in ghosts.

I personally don't believe in ghosts and I think that it is ludicrous that you're comparing phantom limb syndrome to believing in ghosts.

 

It definitely is a little ludicrous lol, hence why I put it here and not in sfa! Twas' just a random thought I had in my head haha.


Also...why is it worse to be an Ancient Astronaut Theorist?
EDIT: You're signature is goddamn creepy.

 

My mom watches a show with those nuts. There are a bunch of people who are out to show the world everything that happens in history was alien involved, or all the tales of the worlds greatest warriors getting their weapons from them. Basically it's all theory that can't be backed up with anything, and each one has there own way on trying to persuade you the by telling you other events that happened with aliens so this one is alien involved too.

 

Please god note that AAT's do not believe 90% of what is on that tv show.

It started out reasonable and then it became the most watched program on the history channel.

From there on out they MADE it stupid and retarded, I do not agree with most of the things that are on that show but yeah I've spent the best part of 10 years researching it so I dare say I've looked into it enough, but again, I don't jam it in anybody's face nor do I even mention it often, and when I do I acknowledge that it's common for most people to find it retarded

Also phantom limbs couldn't really be linked to ghosts.

When you pull a cracker at Christmas and wear the hat, when you take it off it feels like you're still wearing it. Ghosts?

Edit:Woodcut you're also incredibly uneducated in ancient history clearly so please don't say that they have nothing to back this up with when I can tell you instantly know nothing about the topic at hand.

 

Yeaaa I realize it was a pretty silly comparison which is why I was content on letting it die lol.

Also, I'm not sure if I'm getting its relationship to runescape? You cant feel anything in a pixelated world =p.

 

I meant in real life lol >.< you still get crackers with the little hats in haha

 

Ohhhhhh, I wasn't sure...I was like "well maybe he's talking about real life, but I've never opened any type of cracker and got a hat out of it...MUST be runescape" haha.

Fair enough lol, the comparison makes a lot more sense to me!

 

Phantom limbs have nothing to do with spirits, it is a psychological experience.

 

I don't believe in ghosts no. I think I woulda seen one by now, or someone would have real evidence of them, not ghost hunters TLC style either.

 

I believe in ghosts, there's no reason to why I shouldn't.

 

Perhaps you should also believe in fairies and pixies.. If you're basing your belief without proof or evidence then you're just believing a certain thing exists based on what other people have told you.