[deleted]
Eckard,
I am the same anon, sorry but i don't care to leave my name.
The present does not consist of attoseconds. An attosecond is a measurement of time i suppose. I agree with Amrit that time is a measurement of change or movement in space. But the present is nothing to do with movement in space. The present is infinite, eternal, and immeasurable. You could say that it consists of no attoseconds, or you could say that it is made up of an infinite number of attoseconds. Both statements would be correct, i believe. For me, the present consists only of consciousness. It has no relationship with what we call time. Really, what we call time is only past and future. Because in the act of measuring, it no longer exists!
Your statement about the past being connected to cause and effect - this is only true when you believe in cause and effect, and think of the present in terms of time. To me there is no single cause of anything. Everything is interconnected to such a degree that nothing can be 'singled out' as a cause. What is the cause of me typing this? Is it my idea about time? My education caused this? My parents? Their parents? The culture that my ancestors came from? Did the keyboard have any part in this cause? The materials that made this keyboard? The sun that is the source of the energy that created these materials, created my fingers and my thoughts? - Everything is the cause of everything else. This is the truth.
You asked if a bird has consciousness. Of course, it does! Everything has consciousness. There is nothing else but consciousness. Sure, varying degrees of consciousness, but nonetheless... and actually birds are much cleverer than we give them credit for. They are able to do many things that we can only dream of. Opening nuts is nothing for them... Humans are meddling fools compared to the wisdom and perfect intelligence of nature.
With respect