Human Consciousness: how we observe (Humans)

by dhw, Sunday, August 14, 2016, 11:21 (3022 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: This is the best explanation of how we take in stimuli from an unconscious process in the grain to its emergence in our consciousness:-https://aeon.co/essays/treating-acute-psychosis-with-drugs-can-prolong-the-anguish?utm_...-QUOTE: "… research shows that every perception we have is actually constructed by the unconscious mind, which then instantly hands it to consciousness. What the unconscious mind uses to do this constructing is largely sensory stimulations. We grasp this information with our senses, we process it with our brains unconsciously, and the product enters our consciousness.'"-David's comment: This paragraph comes from a long article on treating psychosis, and is interesting to read. My point is that this still sounds like dualism to me. The brain's unconscious activity is occurring in the material part of the brain and then transfers to whatever creates the immateriality of consciousness. There are two levels. That is dualistic! -Your comment seems to me a bit oversimplified. I would argue that processing information, communicating it, making decisions based upon it, and acting upon those decisions are all characteristics of consciousness (not to be confused with self-awareness), of which there are many different levels. These characteristics are common to all organisms, ranging from bacteria through to ants, humming birds, dolphins, chimps and ourselves. Where, then, does the material end and the immaterial begin? If dualism is true, then ALL organisms are dualistic. In the “more philosophy” post, you say are still with Descartes. You probably know that Descartes considered our fellow animals to be automatons (just as you think bacteria are), without a “soul”. Are you with him in confining immaterial consciousness to humans? If not, please explain what attributes, in addition to the above, you yourself regard as essential to a definition of immaterial consciousness.