Is ego an emergent phenomenon?

[CreamCat]

Ocean is an emergent phenomenon of various kinds of molecules. In theory, ocean is just molecules of water, salt, and so on. But, ocean displays emergent properties that do not exist in individual molecules.

Perhaps, ego is an emergent property of a physical body in the universe.

Edited July 12, 2018 by CreamCat

[Victor Mgazi]

It is a result of evolution. An occurrence in the universe but it's nature is of thought. 

"An i arises forth with every thought and with its disappearance that i disappears too."

I'm not sure if that answers your question but feel free to ask if not. 

 

[tsuki]

An ocean has nothing to do with molecules. It is not an emergent property of molecules, but of your perception.
You see something, dissect it via theory into atoms, and then wonder why is there an ocean.

There is no such thing ego out there.
Ego is a word with a structure associated to it. You can apply this structure to various aspects of your experience and decide whether it fits.
This does not mean however that whatever you call ego is out there, because where it fits is predicated on the structure that you gave it.
Theories are a description of the world, as much as they are a description of you.
They are empty in the sense that you can mold them into fitting various things because they are ultimately ambiguous.

The same thing applies to emergence, properties, physicality, body and a universe.
Therefore, a question: 

1 hour ago, CreamCat said:

Perhaps, ego is an emergent property of a physical body in the universe.

should ideally be answered with silence.
(Which I failed, btw.)

[CreamCat]

32 minutes ago, Victor Mgazi said:

It is a result of evolution. An occurrence in the universe but it's nature is of thought. 

"An i arises forth with every thought and with its disappearance that i disappears too."

I'm not sure if that answers your question but feel free to ask if not. 

@Victor Mgazi I'm still confused about ego and consciousness. My vision is not my thoughts. My senses are not my thoughts.

[Victor Mgazi]

Consciousness and ego are definitely separate things, one is a perception and the other is nothing. Vision is a perception and so are thoughts but they aren't yours in the way that you assume. You are not experiencing these senses because even you are being experienced. This sense of self is an experience. The ego is also a perception like sensory information but this is of thought.

Let me know if it's unclear. 

 

[Joseph Maynor]

Ego is an emergent phenomenon of all complex adaptive systems.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_adaptive_system

[Victor Mgazi]

@Joseph Maynor to be honest, I don't really understand this notion that something has to be complicated for it to develop an ego. I mean isn't complexity and simplicity something that is relative. What if there is like an extraterrestrial that is so smart that it doesn't regard for instance a human to be that complex. Just open yourself to that possibility for the sake of this analysis. Should really depend on something subjective in order for this phenomenon to emerge? 

[Joseph Maynor]

3 minutes ago, Victor Mgazi said:

@Joseph Maynor to be honest, I don't really understand this notion that something has to be complicated for it to develop an ego. I mean isn't complexity and simplicity something that is relative. What if there is like an extraterrestrial that is so smart that it doesn't regard for instance a human to be that complex. Just open yourself to that possibility for the sake of this analysis. Should really depend on something subjective in order for this phenomenon to emerge? 

I never said 'has to'.  I'm just giving one useful conceptual system of Ego.  There are other useful models of Ego, to be sure.

Edited July 12, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[Victor Mgazi]

6 minutes ago, Joseph Maynor said:

I never said 'has to'.  I'm just giving one useful conceptual system of Ego.  There are other useful models of Ego, to be sure.

Really? Do you mind stating a few (useful models), that would be great. 

[Highest]

I would say that the ego is an emergent phenomena of the body and mind.

[Widdle Puppy]

4 minutes ago, Highest said:

I would say that the ego is an emergent phenomena of the body and mind.

Yes, I think so too. It requires mind & thought, emotions and then a body which it is able to claim as it's own. I'm then trying to understand how consciousness comes into all of this.