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There's nothing about the idea of physical consciousness that says it has to be a continuum -- there could just be some critical mass or qualitative attribute o

by gipp 11y ago

There's nothing about the idea of physical consciousness that says it has to be a continuum -- there could just be some critical mass or qualitative attribute of brains that puts us "over the threshold", so to speak. Nobody can give any kind of a definitive answer. For ideas about a "continuum" of consciousness, you might read Phi: http://www.amazon.com/Phi-A-Voyage-Brain-Soul-ebook/dp/B0078XCPQY http://www.amazon.com/Phi-A-Voyage-Brain-Soul-ebook/dp/B0078... Or for other views, you might check out V.S Ramachandran (neuroscience): http://www.amazon.com/Brief-Tour-Human-Consciousness-Impostor/dp/0131872788 http://www.amazon.com/Brief-Tour-Human-Consciousness-Imposto... Jeff Hawkins (computer science): http://www.amazon.com/On-Intelligence-Jeff-Hawkins/dp/0805078533 http://www.amazon.com/On-Intelligence-Jeff-Hawkins/dp/080507... Hofstadter (mathematics, cognitive science): http://www.amazon.com/G%C3%B6del-Escher-Bach-Eternal-Golden/dp/0465026567 http://www.amazon.com/G%C3%B6del-Escher-Bach-Eternal-Golden/... Those are some of my favorite popular-press books on the subject.

astrocyte 11y ago
* Read Jeff Hawkins (On intelligence) * Have GEB (Covered enough of it) My point was to bring out the implicit belief that there is : > Some critical mass or qualitative attribute of brains that puts us "over the threshold" > If consciousness is indeed a variable quantity, then every single able bodied adult human has more "units" of consciousness than, say, a dog. > The variation within a species is also probably pretty small compared to the gap between species. None of which are proven in any scientific way yet many believe it to be the truth. We haven't even resolved what consciousness let alone its range of existence. > Just like intelligence, the amount of consciousness that a person has is not a measure of their value. And yet, one draws lines to distinguish human intelligence/consciousness from that say of a dog.

by gipp 11y ago

astrocyte 11y ago

* Read Jeff Hawkins (On intelligence) * Have GEB (Covered enough of it) My point was to bring out the implicit belief that there is : > Some critical mass or qualitative attribute of brains that puts us "over the threshold" > If consciousness is indeed a variable quantity, then every single able bodied adult human has more "units" of consciousness than, say, a dog. > The variation within a species is also probably pretty small compared to the gap between species. None of which are proven in any scientific way yet many believe it to be the truth. We haven't even resolved what consciousness let alone its range of existence. > Just like intelligence, the amount of consciousness that a person has is not a measure of their value. And yet, one draws lines to distinguish human intelligence/consciousness from that say of a dog.