The sixth sense

Philosophy Forums Philosophy
1

The sixth sense
Do you think there could be one? Could this sense answer all of our questions? This sense is more then sight, sound, felling, tasting, or smelling. Thinking that we gain all of our knowledge through these senses this could be important.
This sense is so high it is undesirable, indescribable. It allows us to interpret our completely opinionated world and decipher all of out bigot ways.
This sense, the one we are blind of, would ease us, calm us. It would take away or optimism but we would be fully relaxed in the knowledge that knowledge is belief, and that the only truth in this world is……none.

What would this sense do for you?

2

Aren’t the five senses - sight, hearing , taste, touch and smell? How did you bring feeling? All these senses ARE feeling. And the sixth I believe is pronounced thought, forget extra sensory perception for a while. When thought is pronounced it comes closer to the Higher Consciousness and so you can perceive stuff that others cannot. Whatever…

As to the fifth sense of touch that you forgot, I guess you never got burnt at the stove and you never got burnt in love :wink: :wink: :wink:

3

The posibility of six, seven, eight, or even nine is evident. Senses all contrubute to a reality. Basing the definition of sense of of this it them must incompas emotion, and fear. These to contribute to a reality

4

What I was really trying to say above is, that we have six senses instead of five. I don’t care what the world believes in. This sixth sense is thinking or thought. When it becomes very pronounced or profound, we call it extra sensory perception or in short ESP. okay? So, don’t ask if we have the sixth sense. We do have the sixth sense of thinking and it is perhaps one of the most significant of all.

Other than this, I don’t think we have more than six senses. ‘When one sense becomes dull, another becomes pronounced’ but I think that the sense of thinking only becomes pronounced if you see a lot of emotional pain. You know what? My God! That means that all the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell have to do with the heart entirely and when you’re hurt in the heart, your brain or mind or sense of thinking is pronounced. So the five senses that the world talks about have to do with the heart, but thinking has to do with the brain. Boy! No one can say now that thinking is not the sixth sense :smiley:

5

I think we’re stretching the definition of sense. The five relate to receiving raw stimuli which is sent to our brains to be meaningized – a secondary process distinct from the primary five senses. So fear, love, hearbreak even thought are not “senses,” unless you’re speaking poetically. By definition, a sixth sense would have to be a way for us to intake physical data from nature. In this way, sonar and radar, as an adjunct, are good examples of humankinds’ primary senses extending beyond the textbook 5. Or if we evolved an organ to detect others thoughts without the aid of other senses, i.e. verbal or no verbal cues, or any other type of conventional communication, we would need to invent a new word for it, but I think it would be some form of seeing, in that it would come down to detecting electrical impulses without the direct contact of organic matter like nerves or flesh.

6

So when a thought pervades you, you are not receiving stimuli? Like when a smell descends upon you round the corner from a ditch?

Fascinating! Arrey I can prove it to you or I wouldn’t write it down.

When you touch a hot stove you get burnt right? The sense is TOUCH.

When you think something awful, you get frustrated? The sense is THINKING :laughing:

Now don’t come and tell me that a thought just comes to you whereas you touch. No, that’s not true. Someone can touch you just like a thought can pervade.

7

Hey! Who put that thinker below my name? What kind of a joke is this? I don’t think, I FEEL. This is an insult to me, remove it right away - the word thinker. Besides no one has the right to change my profile anyway :imp:

8

This is funny.

But then if animals have extra sensory perception, does it mean they are great thinkers? :smiley:

I KNOW animals are not great thinkers, so this means that the way animals communicate through mind waves is just that, a way of communication and NOTHING ELSE, it is not extra sensory perception. Their kind of communication is just a replacement for language.

9

Hi INoNothing,
do I think there could be a sixth sense? Well that depends on what exactly you mean by ‘sixth sense’. The words assume that this “sense” is sensory, like the first five senses, yet this is rarely what people mean by ‘sixth sense’. Some people believe that ‘sixth sense’ is the ability to think without emotional bias, or without sense. Others believe that the sixth sense is the agglomeration of the five senses together at the same time, a sort of harmony. Others still believe that the sixth sense is God communicating to us things which we couldn’t know or predict. So as you see, the question relies heavily upon what you really mean by the question.

Yes, I think there could be one. But I will save my own personal and detailed response for when you elaborate upon the question.

Could this sense answer all of our questions? Again, depending on what you define this sense to be. Personally, I believe all the answers are already in our mind/brain, life is simply a journey to find ways of understanding our own mind and being able to articulate our findings to others so the next person has less work to do (though sometimes we can work backwards).

I dont think the sixth sense, in the ways I have heard it used, is undesirable, possibly indescribable. But if it is indescribable I would argue that the person knows not what they are speaking of. This is most likely the case, though I am open to things existing which are indescribable.

INoNothing stated:

Really? How does it do this?

INoNothing stated:

If we are blind of it, how come we are talking about it? And how come you know so much about it…the fact taht it allows us to interpret our opinionated world and decipher out bigot ways, the fact that it eases us and calms us?

INoNothing stated:

The epithet ‘truth’ means: In accordance to fact or reality.

But fact or reality is deciphered by us. So truth isn’t some objective quality but a relative one. In this sense all we have is ‘personal truth’. I agree that knowledge is belief, really, though we like to demarcate the two.

In searching for the definition of truth I stubbled upon the definition of ‘sixth sense’: supposed intuitive or extrasensory faculty.

INoNothing stated:

It has done much for me, but again, I’m not sure we define the sixth sense in the same way.

What’s your take?

10

For me, the sixth sense is talent. Some may have that of singing, or guitar playing, or dancing, and more. The sixth sense is the unique one, the one that make us… us

11

This sounds like BS. Whatever it is or isn’t is a question of science. And science has turned up no sixth senses as far as I know. I remember reading somewhere about how the five sense are “defined.” Oh yeah, it was my post, largely ignored. Like “gadfly” aptly suggested before actually bothering to reply at length, definitions are important. The term sense is useful to us as we agree on its meaning, a way to bring sensation “in” from external reality. If you look at it existentially, then sense isn’t even the right word. It would be “feeling.” So to say the verb “sense” or noun “sense” is to implicate noumena. So maybe you’re onto something that the language needs an overhaul…then again, I think it would be called phenomena, in which case, fine, you can lump sight and sound together with ANY feeling. If you want. The web we weave, oh my aching head.

12

I didnt forget it, when you tuch a nice ladys skin you FEEL soft things. The felling one was ment to adress the sense of tuch. :unamused:

That was the point Iwas trying to make, and this new intake of information would perhaps bring in new intellect etc etc.

oh please how do we know anything?

the question relies heavily upon what you really mean by the question.

The question was what this sense would be for you and what you think it could be, if anything.

Ever hear birds? People dont have to see things to talk about it, like sound, we can not see it but we talk about it. Its toying with the idea of what it could be thats fun.

I never said I did, this was my idea of what it would do for me. The sense would be like an aid in achieving enlightenment and I would become aware of things I had no idea of but seem to be so obvious.

Senses- we uses them to interpret life as we know it, adding another sense would be like adding more knowledge; you would become more aware of the world around you. If we were all blind we would have no sight, duh. What if that was the case today? All of our life we were blind, with out sight and our interpretation of the world would only be from our other 4 senses. Now one day “god” or something else (lets not argue, just think about it) gives us another sense, the sense of sight. Our interpretation of the world we change, our knowledge would grow and I think with sight we could function better. Maybe the sixth sense could be the ability to read peoples mind, or allow us to see the way people really are and what they really want. That’s a simple example of what it could be.

13

Greetings INoNothing,
Please add who you are quoting, cause you quote more than one person but you don’t specify to whom you are answering. This can get complicated since we can’t be expected to remember all our words and sentences that you quote. It also saves time.

INoNothing stated:

First off you had many questions. Secondly, your actual last question was “what does this sense do for us (you)?” Notice how general that is?
This is why we need to get clear on what exactly you mean by senses and so on. This is also why often philosophers come up with their own taxonomies (definitions for words) in order to be understood as clearly as possible and to move away from uses of words that are commonly used in society but felt to be erroneous by the philosopher.

You originally said that we are blind to the sixth sense. And I asked:
If we are blind of it, how come we are talking about it?

  • from this you should have received the following message:
    The way you used the word ‘blind’ indicates that you mean ‘we don’t know what the sixth sense is’. Which would make sense of my question “If we are blind of it, how come we are talking about it?”. But I guess you meant it literally and you were saying that the sixth sense is blind (lacking sight, we can’t see it), but do I then assume that it can be sensed by the other four senses?

INoNothing stated:

Toying with ideas which we haven’t explained and which have no basis in reality are about as fun as talking about phlogiston being the reason fire burns, or that the Gods will be angry with us if we don’t sacrifice an animal, or that the unicorn is going to give you a thrashing because you are being childish.

I said
“And how come you know so much about it”

Which was in reference to you saying that we are blind to the sixth sense, which again, I assumed by the way you used it that you meant we can’t know anything about it which would lead you into a contradiction since you were speaking of it and things you knew about it.

INoNothing stated:

Okay, lets get this cleared up once and for all.
When you say that

It is to speak of a thing as though you KNOW it. You don’t state this is your opinion, or that this is what you think, and so it comes across as you are saying that this is the way the sixth sense is. Furthermore, you didn’t say that this is what the sixth sense would do for you, the fact that it was an idea you had for what it would do for you needs to be articulated…we can’t read minds. Moreover, in the quote you say that it is INDESCRIBABLE, yet you describe it (its undesirable, indescribable, more than the other senses, it allows us to interpret…and so on). This is a blatant contradiction. You go on to speak of it…:

Once again, your use of the word ‘blind’ is in such a usage as to give the idea that we cannot know it, that our senses and mind are blind to it. I don’t see why anyone would say “I am blind to telepathy” and mean that they can’t actually see it. It seems you are just trying to get out of being criticised. Please understand I’m not trying to pin you, contradict you, or criticise you…I’m just trying to make heads-and-tails of your post. I want to understand. But if I see contradictions then I will never come to understand, so I must present to you what I see as contradictions which you may then clear up for me so I can come to understand you better.

INoNothing stated:

What is this “like”? The sixth sense is LIKE adding another sense, well is it adding another sense or isn’t it. One can become more aware of their world by doing drugs, is that how you mean? Or like a revelation? Or simply clarity of thought? What? All of these allow us to be more aware of the world around us, or so we think at least, maybe they cloud the view of the world.

INoNothing stated:

Okay, adding “duh” at the end of your statement is an insult. It suggests that I am stupid for not having understood what you meant in the beginning. Being the idiot that you are, allow me to educate you, when you say something and someone doesn’t understand…it’s YOUR fault, not theirs. You aren’t being clear enough. Don’t ever forget that. Ask before you judge. Furthermore, if you are here to insult then you are in the wrong place. Do something like this again and I will give you a tongue lashing like you have never gotten before.

INoNothing stated:

Yes, the sixth sense could be the ability to read minds. It could be the ‘force’ as it is understood according to STAR WARS. It could be telekinesis or the ability to spontaneously combust. But we are still speaking hogwash until you give me a clear understanding of ‘sixth sense’. Otherwise the sixth sense could really be anything and we might as well subsitute the word with “adslkfdsaf”.

What’s your take?

14

Why must I come to your aid?

Read on “INONOTHING POST FOR DUMMIES”
5th ed

Your time is not mine to save.

FYI-ALL QUOTES ARE FOR MAGIUS!

– duh !

If it is so general then why are you having such a hard time deciphering what to do? “This is so easy plane simple, simple, simple! Oh my, what do I do???”

That is not what I was trying to do, that’s just how you interoperated it, I am sorry if it threw you off.

I was just trying to make the point that we do not and can not understand it or describe the real thing but hey does that mean we shouldn’t try? Be creative and make something up!

Yea that’s the idea. We do not know what the sense is. Think of it as motivation for you to use your imagination to come up with a creative and fun 6th sense. It could be as fun as a roller coaster to some or to you stuff about a “…unicorn is going to give you a thrashing because you are being childish.” My mother is blind to the fact that her account is being emptied by a criminal. Blind as in we do not know about it.

If we were all blind we would have no sight, duh. Oh my fucking god, did that really hurt your feelings? The ABSOLUTE reason I put duh there was not to imply that any one person was an idiot it was simply to avoid someone like you saying “blind means we have no sight so why are you including rhetorical comments like that in your post?” obviously it didn’t work but I must now apologize for you ignorance in miss understanding my post. IM SORRY! Infact adding the blind as in no sight seems to clarifiy what blind means in this context, so chill man, thats what you wanted.

tongue lashing like you have never gotten before; sounds like oral sex :wink:

Senses- Any of the faculties by which stimuli from outside or inside the body are received and felt, as the faculties of hearing, sight, smell, touch, taste, and equilibrium.
From dictionary.com

Senses- stuff we use like seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling to UNDERSTAND the world as we know it.
from my 12 year old sister. (Easily understood the post)

senses –"adslkfdsaf”
-tragically from a mysterious mistaken genius ~magius

My meant to be fun post redefined.

Senses- Any of the faculties by which stimuli from outside or inside the body are received and felt, as the faculties of hearing, sight, smell, touch, taste, and equilibrium.
From dictionary.com

How interesting I believe it would be to discover a 6th sense! Wouldn’t you think so?
Do you think there could be a 6th sense?
Could this sense answer many of our questions?
What would this sense do for you?

Granted that revision was not that creative of a post but with creativity we leave room to criticize, to pin down, to make fun of etc. Even when we add in the humor of the word “duh” we take the risk of people feeling attack and made fun of.

If you need a more “Diet” version of this post feel free to simply ask, this was to much work to try to drain a creative thought out of a creative man.
Don’t worry I wont criticize your creativity with questions.
I love you magius, I love you like a brother.

:smiley:

15

Potentially, there may be many abilities that we have but that are blocked from us. We have large brains and use only a small portion of them. We are still learning about the human brain and how it functions. We see the mechanical process but we fail to understand wherein lies intelligence and consciousness. Every time we try to define those abilities that are uniquely human and beyond the ability of a machine, someone programs a computer to do one of them and the list keeps getting irroded to fewer and fewer abilities that are unique to humans. I remain open to the possibility of intelligent machines and of humans discovering and mastering new abilities that lie lurking in our untapped potential.

16

There’s a difference between capability and sense. Where a computer might perhaps be more capable in say computing or calculation or a word search etcetera, it can NEVER start to think and hence enjoy the pleasure that we enjoy through our sense of thinking. That’s why I say thinking is the sixth sense for the simple reason it brings us pleasure or accordingly displeasure, the same can never be a computer’s domain. Okay? I just proved that thinking is the sixth sense 'cause it brings us pleasure/displeasure like the other senses. Should I believe the world when it does not consider thinking as the sixth sense? Nope :smiley:

17

Oh! Yeah? Science my dear is a baby where philosophy is concerned because it arises from philosophy. Philosophy is the mother of all sciences. Don’t call philosophy science either because that would be an insult to philosophy and it would handicap it in a big way. That guy who figured gravity because of the apple falling down and not going up is the reason gravity got understood and became an important scientific aspect. Science follows rules and norms, not philosophy. Philosophy is free! A simple mistake or an error can lead to a brilliant discovery. “Science has turned up no sixth senses as far as I know.” My foot! Oh! And “my aching head” too. Ouch!

18

INoNothing,
your posts are full of undeveloped thought, ambiguous wording, attitude, and rudeness. Some of your sentences were COMPLETELY incoherent, I tried as hard as I might and I still couldn’t make sense of what you were trying to say. One such example is when you said

You obviously have no intention of discussing for the sake of increasing knowledge and experience of others ideas, so my conversation with you from here on in is finished. I have no intention of arguing with you, nor am I going to stand for your attitude. From here on in, count yourself ignored.

Good day to you sir.
~Magius

19

Shew, good thing those are all opinions from one man.
God bless and much love…

20

I think the idea of the sixth sense was an attempt to explain how people have sensed things that they don’t believe they could have sensed using the five established senses.

I believe what this really is is a mix up with recalling things that you pick up subliminally from a memory of something that you had sensed with the standard five senses some time in the past, without registering that you recalled it and where from, so it just appears in your mind from apparently nowhere.

But then I’m not enitrely convinced that there are just five senses. You could test this with some sort of abominably inhumane and inethical experiment where you tamper with an unborn child so that it doesn’t develop any ability to see, hear, touch, smell or taste, and then when it is born, see if there is any brain activity other than the registering of chemical imbalances in the brain (which is really another sense but it is sensing internally and not externally). If there is, the child is detecting its surroundings using another sense that we had previously not discovered.

But I don’t think this experiement will be carried out any time soon, if ever…