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Yes, focus is a high level feature that allows us to have access to more information than we can process deeply at any given time, without being overwhelmed by

Yes, focus is a high level feature that allows us to have access to more information than we can process deeply at any given time, without being overwhelmed by it. We can narrow our focus, yet still have the benefit of all that information being processed by process parallel to our focus - ready to interrupt our focus if something is surprising, important, painful or pleasurable. And of course, its all there ready for us when we change focus. So having more information available is just that, having more information available. We can still focus and unfocus.

PaulDavisThe1st 4y ago
No, this is not at all what I meant. Your conscious mind does not have access to the low level sensory machinery. Even if you focus, you will only be aware of a "high level summary" of what your sensory equipment is measuring. It's similar to the way in which your brain is filled with billions of little analog add units, but you have no direct access to them - you do arithmetic with higher level components and structures in the brain.