We will be discussing consciousness at our next meeting.
I came across two videos from the Royal Institute on this topic, both thought provoking and interesting.
There is this one to get us thinking about something that seem so everyday...pain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHXCi6yZ-eA&list=PLbnrZHfNEDZz6R5Y-32dx2HuF_iUQw2sI&index=1
Then there is the panel discussion that provided some partial answers but provoked more questions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=313yn0RY9QI&list=PLbnrZHfNEDZz6R5Y-32dx2HuF_iUQw2sI&index=3
Most interestingly are the various descriptions of brain disorders where people have out of body experiences, or recognize their wife but said she is an imposter, or being upset that someone is hitting an artificial arm that they have come to think of their own after a virtual reality experiement.
It is so weird that we really cannot make this up if this didn't actually happened.
Then there is the suggestion that consciousness is responsible for the social animal that we are, the reason that we evolved to be different than the other animals.
Some suggest in the discussion that consciousness may be one of those things that we as humans are not equipped to know.
Looking at the progress made in the last few decades, it seems that we have started to place the loose ends of a puzzle on the board and patterns are starting to emerge.
Theater of the mind, things happen, we sense it, then we play out the narrative in our minds. How is the script interpreted from the sensors? Who directs the narrative? How do "we" influence it? Who are "we"?
Perceptions have to be cultivated. At least I have found this to be true, especially when talking about groups of peoples were perceptions or thoughts or feelings can have negative impacts if left to the devices of untrue propaganda or something a kin to it.
ReplyDeleteStudying groups of peoples can benefit the question of consciousness and who directs it. Unfortunately groups of people generally falter especially when unconcerned with questions of justice, or fairness.
Peoples must be fair or just, it cannot be left in the hands of some intangible source to sort out.
Vanessa