Mind = bunch of circuits that uses language to deliberate.
Brain creates a "synthetic" mind and gives it the complex problems to deliberate on and solve. Then brain takes output of "mind."
Our synthetic mind feels a "virtual" body created by nerve inputs.
All we are aware of are 1) the deliberation circuits using language "out loud" to make decisions 2) virtual body mapping.
Language area was not conscious at first. It was used to make decisions with other people. The brain ran decisions to this area to get output of other people. Then it started "talking to itself" = consciousness.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
countermeasure?
Could consciousness have evolved as a countermeasure the phenotype could use against the tyranny of the genes?
Or is consciousness just another tool of the genes (intelligence / free will as just a puppet government ultimately controlled by the the genes following the agenda items the genes care about most: survival, reproduction)?
If consciousness allows us to override our genes then maybe we have free will. It would not be true freedom, but rather freedom to choose pleasure, happiness, virture, etc., and freedom to forego reproduction, survival...
Or is consciousness just another tool of the genes (intelligence / free will as just a puppet government ultimately controlled by the the genes following the agenda items the genes care about most: survival, reproduction)?
If consciousness allows us to override our genes then maybe we have free will. It would not be true freedom, but rather freedom to choose pleasure, happiness, virture, etc., and freedom to forego reproduction, survival...
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
model
Consciousness involves a special kind of reduction of the complexity of the outside world.
It's as if the brain creates a theater in order to see its options. This leads to both consciousness and the illusion of free will. The two are linked.
Cartesian theater revisited: the brain makes its own model of reality, a simplified one.
The sheer complexity of sensory input, memory, decisionmaking, etc., creates the need for a simplified "virtual reality" of manageable complexity. We can weigh 4 options, but not 40,000 options.
Consciousness emerges from one part of the brain contemplating another part of the brain that is its own creation, its own compilation. This creation is a simplified model of the world, the person's options, including relevant memories. This model is of manageable size and is useable to another part of the brain.
The remembered present. We don't see the chair. One part of our brain that needs to solve the seating problem sees a model created in another part of the brain of the chair.
Infinite regress?
Where does the experience come from? From the interaction of more than one area of the brain. Does that solve the mystery?
Mirror neurons: the muscles that move our arm are activated when we see someone else move their arm. This is how the model is created/works. A set of mirror neurons that mimic reality in the brain based on experience.
We move our arm. Arm moving neurons fire. We see someone move their arm. Same arm moving neurons fire. We feel thirsty. Brain needs to make body drink. Brain fires arm moving neurons to reach glass of water. But our brain does not find the glass of water in the world (too complex). It finds the glass of water in the mini-model of reality in our brain. The useable model that just contains what is relevant to us.
It's as if the brain creates a theater in order to see its options. This leads to both consciousness and the illusion of free will. The two are linked.
Cartesian theater revisited: the brain makes its own model of reality, a simplified one.
The sheer complexity of sensory input, memory, decisionmaking, etc., creates the need for a simplified "virtual reality" of manageable complexity. We can weigh 4 options, but not 40,000 options.
Consciousness emerges from one part of the brain contemplating another part of the brain that is its own creation, its own compilation. This creation is a simplified model of the world, the person's options, including relevant memories. This model is of manageable size and is useable to another part of the brain.
The remembered present. We don't see the chair. One part of our brain that needs to solve the seating problem sees a model created in another part of the brain of the chair.
Infinite regress?
Where does the experience come from? From the interaction of more than one area of the brain. Does that solve the mystery?
Mirror neurons: the muscles that move our arm are activated when we see someone else move their arm. This is how the model is created/works. A set of mirror neurons that mimic reality in the brain based on experience.
We move our arm. Arm moving neurons fire. We see someone move their arm. Same arm moving neurons fire. We feel thirsty. Brain needs to make body drink. Brain fires arm moving neurons to reach glass of water. But our brain does not find the glass of water in the world (too complex). It finds the glass of water in the mini-model of reality in our brain. The useable model that just contains what is relevant to us.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
present tense
Consciousness is needed to create a constant "present tense" (virtual reality?) for the brain/body so we can contemplate the past and the future without getting lost in time. We do lose consciousness when remembering (vividly), planning (intensely) or dreaming. The "present tense" pulls us back to the body's reality. Can we really thing about the past and future while being in the present? or do we go back and forth quickly?
Art, movies, novels, music, work, travel, TV, divertissement generally: escape from the present.
Art, movies, novels, music, work, travel, TV, divertissement generally: escape from the present.
Monday, July 19, 2010
in space
If the brain keeps a constantly updated map of where our limbs are in space, then consciousness is the brain keeping a constantly updated map of its activities "in space." Wouldn't that "in space" account for the Cartesian theater?
Monday, January 4, 2010
mirror neurons
When you see someone move their arm, the neurons for moving your own arm fire in your brain.
The implications of this for language and consciousness: we hear words and feel what the other person feels when they say the words to themselves.
Does this mean we our conscious of ourselves in the same way we are conscious of the feelings of others? That we feel what it is like to feel like ourselves!
The implications of this for language and consciousness: we hear words and feel what the other person feels when they say the words to themselves.
Does this mean we our conscious of ourselves in the same way we are conscious of the feelings of others? That we feel what it is like to feel like ourselves!
sampling
Consciousness is a sampling of brain activity of manageable size so we can talk about it.
Language meant a limited repertoire of words with which to communicate. This forced the brain to simplify in order to communicate.
Which came first, consciousness or language? I imagine we spoke to others before we spoke to ourselves. In either case, consciousness would be a prerequisite. It's what we talk about. We could not talk about our "brain state:" it's too complex. But we can talk about our conscious thoughts; they're manageable.
We also need consciousness to imagine what the other person hears when we speak.
Shouldn't we say that we "feel" conscious rather than that we are conscious? And free.
Consciousness as a simulation, a simplified version of what's out there and in our brains.
Language meant a limited repertoire of words with which to communicate. This forced the brain to simplify in order to communicate.
Which came first, consciousness or language? I imagine we spoke to others before we spoke to ourselves. In either case, consciousness would be a prerequisite. It's what we talk about. We could not talk about our "brain state:" it's too complex. But we can talk about our conscious thoughts; they're manageable.
We also need consciousness to imagine what the other person hears when we speak.
Shouldn't we say that we "feel" conscious rather than that we are conscious? And free.
Consciousness as a simulation, a simplified version of what's out there and in our brains.
partial consciousness
What we call full consciousness is obviously only partial consciousness. Full consciousness of all brain activity would be overwhelming and useless. Compare our full vision to 360˚ vision.
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