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I always figured that thought occurs by reference. Like, rather than creating a thought the thought is already there, and then we refer to it. A metaphor : Yo

I always figured that thought occurs by reference. Like, rather than creating a thought the thought is already there, and then we refer to it. A metaphor : You are in a dark room with a flashlight. You direct your flashlight at a flowerpot. Suddenly you see a flowerpot. But you did not create the flowerpot it just suddenly became visible. In my model here the process of thinking consists of a series of changes of reference. A series of redirections of attention. You observe a thought. You respond to that thought by directing your attention (much like directing the beam of a flashlight) at another thought. And so on. An endless chain. Note that I am a longtime meditation enthusiast so my perspective is abnormal and weird.

_Schizotypy 8y ago
we can't direct our thoughts, they could be seen as streams of information reacting with information that we have previously encountered which affected our processing pathways.
- swayvil 8y ago
  In my model here I offered that we do not direct thoughts. That we direct attention.
  - _Schizotypy 8y ago
    I would ask how we direct it? Would that not require conscious effort to exist?
    - swayvil 8y ago
      Sure. Makes sense.
RichardCA 8y ago
That's not a metaphor, that's what actually happens. In order to see a flowerpot your brain has to have a way to connect the image to something internal. Our brain knows how to do semiotics without our being conscious of it. So what we think of as "consciousness" is just our brain processing information that has a sensory manifestation. Light goes into our eyes, is processed by our brain, and then we know what's in the room. But if the lights are turned off in the room, we still now what's in the room. And we call this capability "consciousness" but that's not what it is. The difficulty is that any conversation about this topic takes on the character of a Buddhist riddle. No one knows how to take the next step.
- swayvil 8y ago
  >that's what actually happens. Oh no, a wild true believer suddenly appears. JK :)

_Schizotypy 8y ago

we can't direct our thoughts, they could be seen as streams of information reacting with information that we have previously encountered which affected our processing pathways.

swayvil 8y ago
In my model here I offered that we do not direct thoughts. That we direct attention.
- _Schizotypy 8y ago
  I would ask how we direct it? Would that not require conscious effort to exist?
  - swayvil 8y ago
    Sure. Makes sense.

RichardCA 8y ago

That's not a metaphor, that's what actually happens. In order to see a flowerpot your brain has to have a way to connect the image to something internal. Our brain knows how to do semiotics without our being conscious of it. So what we think of as "consciousness" is just our brain processing information that has a sensory manifestation. Light goes into our eyes, is processed by our brain, and then we know what's in the room. But if the lights are turned off in the room, we still now what's in the room. And we call this capability "consciousness" but that's not what it is. The difficulty is that any conversation about this topic takes on the character of a Buddhist riddle. No one knows how to take the next step.

swayvil 8y ago
>that's what actually happens. Oh no, a wild true believer suddenly appears. JK :)