Post by Ying-ying Chen on Jun 8, 2015 6:27:46 GMT
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
Consciousness can be defined as an awareness of one’s existence, thoughts, and surroundings. The same object can be seen and interpreted differently from different level of consciousness. In different stages of consciousness, what we perceive as the truth can be false. We ask questions because of our brain. According to the film, Brain Burn, it says that philosophy is upon different brain states. I agree to this idea, we know that there are many different types are philosophy in the world, like the well done ones that combines physics and philosophy and the regular ones. In the film, it says the reason is due to different brain states. It is true because different people have different mental states further leading to different philosophy. All the questions we ask are all just dissociation of the brain. It explains firmly that imagining as consciousness arises from dissociation. Hence, it says that consciousness is a virtual simulator, it lets us imagine what would happen if we do or don’t do something to avoid it. This actually has something to do with the evolution theory, since the evolution theory suggests that we try our best not to get replaced by others, if we have consciousness, we know what to avoid beforehand. Therefore, consciousness explains why we are aware of dangers even before dangers come into existence. It is because of consciousness, indeed, it actually helps keep us alive so we can pass a copy of ourselves down in the future without killing ourselves first.
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
We think we put ourselves to sleep and wake up, we think we control our stomach and many other organs. We think we gain control over our body. Is this really true? Or do these things just happen, or maybe our consciousness controls all of this. In fact, we actually don’t, and we cannot control when we want to sleep or when we wake up. This is what our brain trick us. For example, sometime when we lay on a bed, we tell ourselves not to sleep but we still fall asleep anyways or we keep telling ourselves to stop beating our heart, but it won’t listen to our commands. We don’t do much except keep denying and unwilling to hold on the fact that we are just three pounds of glorious meat. Consciousness is really what makes up of our behaviors.
With regard to the interview (Patricia Churchland on Neurophilosophy), Patricia Churchland says that if we understand our brains well, we would consequently understand the nature of knowledge and consciousness well. Isn’t it amazing how just a brain can do that much? She suggests that our feelings and emotion is the product of many neurons working together, not just a single one. She also says that we tend to not believe something just because it is not what we had in mind and imagined, just like Aristotle view in the universe, he would probably not believe in anything we have found out today via science just because it is not what he already had in mind.