https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/there-is-no-such-thing-as-conscious-thought/
There is consciousness, but not conscious thought. This explains most human behavior, we are mostly unconscious.
I put this on the screen and let it play in front of my ficus. When I came back it was gently weeping. Doesn't have much backbone for this....
From what I have been reading lately, it seems the concept of "self" is an illusion and can be dissolved through disrupting the default mode network of the brain. Consciousness is an emergent process that we don't fully understand. It seems to be constructed through sensory stimulation, memory and cognitive shortcuts. I find all this fascinating and expect we will understand more as neuroscience advances. I also anticipate that the way we understand consciousness now will be viewed as fairly primitive in the future.
If your ficus doesn't have a backbone, you should have sent it to VMI, they could have taught it to have backbone there! How do you expect your potted plants to stand up to the bully plants on the street?
Quote from: GSOgymrat on December 25, 2018, 09:41:02 AM
I find all this fascinating and expect we will understand more as neuroscience advances.
Big Pharma, The corporations and Big Brother will know all about it far before we do.
Quote from: aitm on December 25, 2018, 10:41:15 AM
Big Pharma, The corporations and Big Brother will know all about it far before we do.
MK Ultra.
Quote from: Baruch on December 25, 2018, 04:27:53 AM
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/there-is-no-such-thing-as-conscious-thought/
There is consciousness, but not conscious thought. This explains most human behavior, we are mostly unconscious.
I understand the arguments against deliberate conscious action, but I disagree. I would argue that since we can discuss our own consciousness, we have it. Yeah, Descartes and all that.
But I would further argue that because I can sit here and consider many possible actions, thinking of them before I choose one, I have free will (which is what this is really about after all). Given a set of possible actions in my forethought, I choose.
But let's say that only says my preconscious knew what I would choose among several possibilities. So let's list several possibilities and assign numbers 1-6 to them. Odd numbers mean I finish this post and even numbers mean I don't.
I roll an
I agree. That is how I define consciousness ... as self reference. I can imagine myself doing and sensing, before I actually do it.
Quote from: Baruch on December 26, 2018, 02:53:43 AM
I agree. That is how I define consciousness ... as self reference. I can imagine myself doing and sensing, before I actually do it.
In some instances yes. But I offerred one that was not. Explain that please.
Quote from: Cavebear on December 29, 2018, 05:10:07 PM
In some instances yes. But I offerred one that was not. Explain that please.
If you are distracted, then that clearly is an example of the exception that proves that we are mostly faking consciousness.
Quote from: Baruch on December 29, 2018, 05:19:35 PM
If you are distracted, then that clearly is an example of the exception that proves that we are mostly faking consciousness.
So, an action of distraction is, to you, proof that we are not conscious? Wouldn't that mean that all the times we are NOT distracted is proof of consciousess?
Quote from: Cavebear on December 29, 2018, 05:28:33 PM
So, an action of distraction is, to you, proof that we are not conscious? Wouldn't that mean that all the times we are NOT distracted is proof of consciousess?
Shh .. don't jump ahead ;-)