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I come from the opposite direction: I'm not so sure humans are all that conscious. My personal theory goes something like: * Consciousness is a side-effect o
by ergothus 8y ago
I come from the opposite direction: I'm not so sure humans are all that conscious. My personal theory goes something like:
* Consciousness is a side-effect of the brain running "what-if" scenarios that include anticipating it's own actions. Self-awareness. This definition allows for non-human consciousness, but also doesn't take a stance on it, as it also allows for a range of awareness, rather than a binary state. (that said, I'll talk in binary terms for simplicity)
* Consciousness is calorically expensive - the brain shuts it down when it isn't needed, because it stops adding value then in terms of survival.
* Side effect: The primary job of consciousness is to figure out how to turn the unexpected into the routine, which in turn shuts down consciousness.
Result: We spend a lot of time NOT self-aware, then back-fill that we must always be self-aware when we consider that time (because we are self-aware during that consideration). Impossible to self-measure, but my personal guess is that we spend somewhere between a high number of minutes to low number of hours "sentient" each day.
Note: I'm using Self-aware/consciousness rather broadly here. Even if it's illusion, there's a state of having that illusion (or however to phrase that) and a state of not being aware that you aren't even considering...anything. (Dang it is hard to describe that without using language that assumes awareness).
- wozer 8y agoThat would explain why spending a few hours meditating can feel like a very long time, being more conscious than usually. Edit: On the other hand, when meditating deeply, one does not run what-if scenarios. Quite the opposite. Nevertheless, awareness is particularly strong in this state.
- ergothus 8y agoI have limited mediation experience, so I don't claim to be definitive at all, but I'd equate the feeling to asking "what if..." and never finishing the question...indeed, getting COMFORTABLE with never finishing the question, but the question is there. Or maybe you're trying to be aware without asking the question, and I'm still terrible at it. Definitely an aspect I'll consider more of. Thanks for the thought!
- jrlocke 8y agoI'm sympathetic to the idea that we have an illusion of consciousness.
- j88439h84 8y agoVery interesting thought, thanks for sharing.
- monetus 8y agoI feel like even this narrative only comments on the centralization of processing, rather than the complexity required to be conscious. I wonder how much of the time spent without sentience, as you put it, is more akin to the diffuse processing in octopii arms or the gut-brain relationship.
- mtberatwork 8y agoIf you are interested, "The New Science of Consciousness" [1] is a solid read (it can get a little tedious in parts though) about the "easy" and "hard" problem of consciousness. [1] https://www.amazon.com/New-Science-Consciousness-Exploring-Complexity/dp/1633882195 https://www.amazon.com/New-Science-Consciousness-Exploring-C...