Do thoughts just appear?

Yes, it was a trick question since you’re unlikely to know what thoughts will emerge until they actually do. Much has evolved since then, given that philosophers and neuroscientists now agree our thoughts do not define us. Thoughts emerge from consciousness and slip away as easily as they appear.

Do we really control our thoughts?

We are aware of a tiny fraction of the thinking that goes on in our minds, and we can control only a tiny part of our conscious thoughts. The vast majority of our thinking efforts goes on subconsciously. Only one or two of these thoughts are likely to breach into consciousness at a time.

Where do our thoughts come from?

Subjectively, our thoughts come from nowhere: they just pop into our heads, or emerge in the form of words leaving our mouths. Objectively, we can say that thoughts emerge from neural processes, and that neural processes come from everywhere.

What happens to the contents of what you are thinking about?

The contents of what you are thinking about are in no way affected by the fact that this thought is appearing within you, nor is he/she/it aware that such an event is happening in your internal world. The thought appears in front of and within only you. Without the juice of your attention, it simply disappears without a trace.

Do our thoughts exist outside of our awareness?

And yet, our thoughts do not exist outside of our awareness. There is nowhere else where the thought that is appearing to you at this moment is actually occurring. Unlike the way we imagine it, our thoughts are not solid, like trees or rocks that exist outside of us in some tangible way.

Are our thoughts real or imaginary?

We are aware of our thoughts, so in that sense they are real. And yet, our thoughts do not exist outside of our awareness. There is nowhere else where the thought that is appearing to you at this moment is actually occurring. Unlike the way we imagine it, our thoughts are not solid, like trees or rocks that exist outside of us in some tangible way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWFVi1cPUZo