Can consciousness be explained? Explanation is objective whereas consciousness is subjective. When neurons interact chemically, scientists can objectively observe the neurons and the chemicals connecting them. When neuronic interactions cause sensations, scientists can objectively observe the neuronic interactions but cannot observe either the sensations or any connection between neurons and sensations. If sensations were objectively observable, then they would not be subjective sensations.
It seems that scientists can explain how neurons affect each other but not how objective neurons cause subjective consciousness.
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I can think, I know I exist, but a rock does not know it exists despite existing. I certainly don't claim to understand how the interactions of neurons seems to cause consciousness.
Besides a pocket New Testament, I've been wondering what to take with me to Florida for reading. Not the second volume of Solzhenitsyn's MARCH 1917, too MASSIVE a book to conveniently take on a journey like that. I'm leaning toward taking my copy of the same author's LENIN IN ZURIC, which is a much more compact book.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: I was in Florida (Pensacola) last weekend. It was bloody cold -- 30's in the daytime.
As the saying goes, "If our minds were simple enough for us to understand, we'd be too simple to understand them."
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I hope the weather is warmer than that where my brother lives, near Sarasota!
Blasted cold and snowy today in MA!
Perhaps only the ultimate simplicity which is God can understand how minds work.
Ad astra! Sean
We know consciousness by being conscious. Objective science is the subset of objects of consciousness that we can intersubjectively observe, measure and agree on. So science is a subset of consciousness.
Kaor, Paul!
No argument with that.
Ad astra! Sean
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