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Theory Of Consciousness
1. Theory of Consciousness
My own theory of consciousness is a state of awareness of self. It has been said that this awareness stems from arousal. Consciousness, to me, is entirely
internal. We experience the external world, but only through our senses. Dehaene and Naccache (2001) explain that neuroscience is beginning to
investigate and understand the "neural underpinnings of consciousness." Thus, consciousness is something that we experience via our own bodies.
However, there is an implied separation between experience and consciousness. Animals and plants also have mechanisms for interacting with the
world, but they do not appear to have the same neural underpinnings that them to interpret the world with the same awareness that humans have. We,
however, not only experience the external world, but we are aware of that experience.
This awareness is sometimes said to arise out of arousal some stimulation that causes us to register the experience both in the present and record it for
memories. It seems to me that some of this awareness is involuntary. I become aware of the wind whistling outside of the window because it arouses
my senses, but there are sounds in the background that did not receive that arousal; nevertheless, I heard them and if pushed and prompted to recall
them later I may well be able to do just that.
Consciousness is also impermanent, in more than one way. Internally–focused consciousness drifts constantly, so that we are aware of different things
inside of our
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2. Intelligence And Consciousness Controversy
Intelligence and Consciousness are two very controversial topics discussed in neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy. They are both labels for
inner–workings of the brain, so they cannot easily be identified. The existence itself of intelligence is not very controversial, because it refers to the
brain's capacity for memory, learning, and ability to reason and problem–solve. However, the measurement of intelligence is very oversimplified and
unreliable. Consciousness is significantly more debatable because it is essentially impossible (at least by today's standards) to develop an objective list
of criteria to identify consciousness. Very little is known about it other than the fact that we feel as if we have a single consciousness. The two... Show
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If this statement does not apply to something, then it is not conscious. For example, there is nothing it "is like to be" a rock, conclusively, rocks are
not conscious. This description, however, becomes significantly less definitive when applied to other animals and insects. Consciousness can be
defined as awareness, thought, and the ability to deliberately make a decision using logic, reason, and emotion. There is a significant amount of
controversy surrounding even the mere existence of consciousness. Some philosophers debate that there is no such thing as consciousness, it is just
and illusion. This theory seems to leave holes because we feel as if we are directly experiencing consciousness. Another theory is that consciousness
is not necessary for life and zombies would be unidentifiable in regular life. This, however, also feels extreme because it seems that the zombie would
have very little thought behind his or her actions and words, and would only operate logically, with no real emotions. There are so many theories
because virtually nothing is known about consciousness. It feels that there are different states of consciousness, different levels of awakeness, sleep,
and sometimes altered states from drugs or
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4. Why Does Consciousness Exist
On page nine in the Blackmore article, it is stated that, "On the one hand, if consciousness is an extra added ingredient then we naturally want to
ask why we have it. We want to ask what consciousness is for, what it does, and how we got it. On this view, it is easy to imagine that we might
have evolved without it, and so we want to know why consciousness evolved, what advantages it gave us, and whether it evolved in other creatures
too. On this view, the hard problem is indeed hard; and the task ahead is to answer these difficult questions." At what level of evolution did
consciousness develop? Assuming that we consider ourselves, humans, to be conscious, then what other organisms are conscious as well? We may
consider the species mostly similar to ours as being conscious because we base our idea of consciousness on ourselves. To paraphrase another idea
from the text, we cannot know what consciousness is like for other animals, such as a bat, because we are not bats and it would be impossible to
accurately put ourselves in the perspective of being a bat. We may consider any animal or organism that has a hierarchical structure to their society or
signs of emotions to have a consciousness because they would then have to be aware of their surroundings and how they interact with other members of
their species. However, there is no understanding of what constitutes a culture... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Chimpanzees, close relatives to ours, have a developed social and familial structure. They may be conscious
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6. Argument Against Higher Order Theories Of Consciousness
Dretske 's quick argument against higher–order theories of consciousness Students Name Institutional Affiliation Date Dretske 's quick argument
against higher–order theories of consciousness Higher–order theories of consciousness directly state that thoughts, perceptions, and beliefs follow the
first mental orders that that connect to personal consciousness. Mostly, the perception of something such as visible images represents the initial thought
of phenomenal consciousness. The higher order of theories of consciousness seeks to elaborate the distinct characteristics of consciousness between the
consciousness of a particular state of a question and a representation of a higher order thought and believe of the same subject state (Carruthers, 2016).
The phenomenal consciousness consists distinctive characteristics that are challenging to explain in the higher orders theories. The subjective
components include properties are challenging since the subjective aspects involve feelings and personal process to undergo through their mind.
According to the higher order theory of consciousness, the mental feeling, thoughts, and perception people have in life consciously occur but not
always since people sometimes sense things subliminally hence independent in people consciousness. In the past, philosophers differ in support of the
higher–order theory of consciousness since there are issues that arise in clarifying the difference–conscious mental state and those that
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7. Identific Intelligence : The Evolution Of Artificial...
In both the real world and Westworld, the debate about artificial intelligence is based around the idea of consciousness. Most people agree that the
reason that humans are superior beings is due to the ability to possess consciousness. Although there are other animals that also show signs of
consciousness, none are as complex as that of a human. That is what differentiates us from other animals, but in order to discuss machine rights, we
must first define the true meaning of consciousness and how it developed through human evolution. According to Robert Ford in Season 1 Episode 8
Trace Decay, "there is no threshold that makes us greater than the sum of our parts...we can't define consciousness because consciousness does not
exist". With this acknowledgment, he is basically stating that there is no difference between the minds of the hosts and the humans.
According to DiCarlo, consciousness co–evolved with the development of language. The "co–evolution of language and consciousness provided our
ancestors with the newly developed – though gradually acquired – sense of mental abstraction wherein they could now see themselves in relation to the
world"(DiCarlo). Since the development of consciousness occurred gradually in humans, it can be safe to assume the same can transpire with artificial
intelligence.
With that in mind, there should definitely be a fail safe in place for the protection of our humanity. Especially since, unlike humans, A.I. is not limited to
the slow progress
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8. Consciousness Is The Way Beings Have Their Own Personal...
Consciousness is the way beings have their own personal experiences in their minds. In other words, how they experience every day situations in their
own personal view or perspective. Ned Block (1995) explains that "phenomenal consciousness is experience; what makes a state phenomenally
conscious is that there is something 'it is like' to be in that state." Susan Blackmore (2012) said that consciousness was subjective; meaning
consciousness is personal and cannot be shared with anyone else. Study and research on consciousness has advanced and increased in the past years.
The Laboratory of Nuero Imaging states that humans have at least 70,000 thoughts racing through their heads on a normal day. These thoughts make
up a part of our consciousness; our ongoing dose of qualia, or private internal experiences. It is obvious that humans have consciousness, but do other
organisms share this capability? One experiment compared the cognitive ability of humans and great apes at the early stages of their development.
Mammals, like apes and monkeys, do have consciousness based on anecdotal evidence, research, and experiments.
Every animal is distinct and diverse, but some share similar traits. Their brain sizes and capacities differ based on their species. Monkeys and apes are
primates that share comparable qualities. Primates are mammals, and mammals are, according to Liana Vitali and Lucie Muir (2005), "warm–blooded
vertebrates which nurse their young on milk produced by the
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9. Critique on Thomas Nagel's What it is like to be a bat?...
Critique on Thomas Nagel's What it is like to be a bat?
The 'mind–body' problem has troubled philosophers for centuries. This is because no human being has been able to sufficiently explain how the mind
actually works and how this mind relates to the body – most importantly to the brain. If this were not true then there would not be such heated debates
on the subject. No one objects to the notion that the Earth revolves around the sun because it is empirical fact. However, there is no current explanation
on the mind that can be accepted as fact. In 'What is it like to be a bat?', Thomas Nagel does not attempt to solve this 'problem'. Instead, he attempts to
reject the reductionist views with his argument on subjectivity. He... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
But we cannot presuppose this because of the mere fact that we DO NOT know what it is like to be a bat and therefore we do not know if a bat is a
conscious being. I am not negating the fact that bats and other animals may have experiences and that these experiences are the results of being
conscious animals. I am just saying that this has not yet been proven factually and it therefore cannot be used as a presupposition towards an argument.
We can only infer that other animals have conscious experience through our own perceptions. We can then make comparisons from our own conscious
experiences using these perceptions but this is not sufficient to support an argument.
Nagel then proceeds with his argument by demonstrating why we cannot know ?what it is like to be a bat?. A human has an imagination and
could therefore imagine what it would be like to have the characteristics of a bat. However, a human cannot imagine what it is like for a bat to be a
bat. Nagel supports this by saying, ?if I try to imagine this, I am restricted to the resources of my own mind, and those resources are inadequate to
the task.? (p.536). I agree with Nader on this point. In order for me to experience what it would be like to be a bat I would have to make the actual
transformation to a bat and there is no way for me to do that. The only other possible way for this to occur would be by a proper explanation about the
mind of a bat but this too
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10. John Locke's Separation Of Personal Identity
Locke's argument for the identity of person (spiritual) and the identity of man (material) is not sufficient. However, the distinction Locke made is
based on its ontological thinking and does have a practical significance. In my opinion, the problem of identity is not only an extension of ontology,
but also have a practical significance based on the issue arose by the separation of identity, that it is unreasonable to talk about identity without any one
of the two (spiritual or material).
Locke argues that the identity of people does not equal the identity of man, that with the soul alone, it is not possible to form the same person. To
take further step of this argument, Locke provides the example of the the Prince and the Cobbler. Adding the Prince's soul into the Cobbler's body,
and therefore the Cobbler's body is now having the the Prince's soul, and further more that the Cobbler's body is now having the Prince's personal
identity. However, people will not regard the Cobbler as the Prince, for that people are inseparable from the body. Therefore, in such circumstances,
Locke believes that people should conclude from this example that the body should be the one to determine whether one is the same person (Locke,
517–518).
In this example, Locke wants to establish concepts of the soul (or more ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
On the one hand, personal identity is the identity of body organization (the identity of man). On the other hand, the personal identity is determined by
consciousness/soul (the identity of person). The combination of the two makes a whole personal identity. Moreover, to conclude from the Prince and
the Cobbler's example, Locke pays more attention to the identity of the body. Whereas under the guidance of this concept, it is not difficult to
understand the reason Locke has separated the identity of person from the identity of man, that these two belong to two different entities: the material
and the
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11. Analysis Of John Locke And The Problem Of Personal Identity
Fatima Binyamin
500700419
Professor David Checkland
PHL 201 – Problems in Philosophy
John Locke and the Problem of Personal Identity
Personal identity, in a philosophical point of view, is the problem of explaining what makes a person numerically the same over a period of time,
despite the change in qualities. The major questions answered by Locke were questions concerning the nature of identity, persons, and immorality
(Jacobsen, 2016). This essay will discuss the three themes John Locke presents in his argument regarding personal identity, which are, the concept of
categories, substance vs. man vs. person, and the continuity of consciousness.
Categories
Locke argues that we cannot compare something until we have an idea of what category the thing being discussed will the placed under. He
elaborates on this notion and argues that asking whether something is the same or not is very blunt and open. When asking a question about
sameness, one could ask, "Is Professor Checkland the same person as he was five years ago?" instead of "Is Professor Checkland the same as five years
ago?" The latter question is not acceptable, according to Locke, because there is no category under which Professor Checkland is being judged upon.
The former, however, implies that Professor Checkland is being judged on the basis of whether he is the same person as he was five years prior.
Identity of substance, man, and persons The categories substance, man, and person all have different requirements
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12. The Bats, the Blind, and the Butterflies Essay
No one can deny that science has evolved rapidly throughout history. One question, however, has not been able to be answered, even though it has
been asked from times as far back as Plato. Do humans have minds; a separate entity from the physical brain that allows us to think? Or is there only a
brain, controlling everything including choices and emotions? Thoughts have no physical properties, so how is it that they reside in a physical
container such as the brain? These questions all describe the "mind–body problem."
In the article, "What Is It Like to Be a Bat?" author Thomas Nagel provides his own view on the mind–body problem. He begins by stating that
consciousness is the reason why the mind–body problem is so controversial ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Next, Nagel refers to an animal in particular: bats. He chooses the bat because it is a mammal that is closely related to humans but has an absolutely
different perception of the world. Bats, by using echolocation rather than sight, are able to navigate in even the darkest locations. How a bat "sees"
objects in its own mind is something that humans could not even begin to fathom. Humans cannot know what it is like to have wings, catch
insects, hang upside down, and use bat sonar to navigate. We can try to imagine what it is like for us to be bats, but the question is what it is like for a
bat to be a bat. Imagination can only go so far, since it is based from our own experiences. No one except a bat can know what it is like to be a bat (307).
Nagel provides another example. A man that is deaf and blind from birth cannot experience the world in the same way as a man who is not deaf nor
blind. They have different perceptions of the world and therefore, are not able to access the subjective views of the other (308).
Despite his argument, Nagel does not claim that physicalism is false. Rather, he writes that we could not begin to understand it because we cannot
visualize how it would be true. Physicalism claims that mental states are physical states of the brain, but Nagel says that the word "are" is deceiving
(310). He relates this to an analogy of a caterpillar in a closed box. When the box is opened weeks later, a butterfly
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13. Relationship Between Science And Religion
In the pages I studied for my third and final presentation, I learned about The Quest for Consciousness. This is most interesting to me because, our
conscious state as human beings is what sets us apart from others. We know that we are here on Earth, that we are human, and that there are things
outside of this Earth much larger and different than we have imagined. The study of consciousness brings an interesting twist into the relationship
between science and religion. Humans standalone from all other creatures because we are conscious, this indicates to some people that there has to be a
higher power. When studying the evolution of humans, we find that we are so much more advanced than any other known creature on the planet. This
article attempts to explain the relationship between science and religion and the few unexplained things in the universe that prove there must be a
higher power.
First, it must be understood that there are three mysterious states of creation that are fundamental but not understood. The creation of something out
nothing, from this the universe appeared. Life created from inorganic dead matter. Also unexplained is the development of consciousness and conscious
beings. These beings, which can reflect upon themselves were created out of organic matter. This is known as thehuman psyche. These three things do
not have a scientific explanation. This is where an interpretation of science and religion like integration would make the most sense. I think
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14. Rhetorical Analysis
Daniel Bor, a psychological researcher, and author, wrote an article titled "When Do We Become Truly Conscious" published on September 4, 2012
and in this article he discusses the idea of consciousness. Through use of deductive reasoning Bor refers to early opinions viewing consciousness as
magic and discusses the science behind demystifying consciousness. Bor also discusses the ethical arguments behind learning for about
consciousness. Bor also lists some of the emotional arguments centered on human awareness. Bor's use of rhetorical strategies is designed to state his
opinion in a simple and easily read way.Bor opens his work stating that "It is easy to view consciousness as a kind of magic" (Bor) and continues to
comment on how religion... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Bor uses the factual evidence that "every person on the planet, on average, consumes twice his or her weight in animal–derived food each year" (Bor)
to set the stage form this controversial topic that hangs on the question of consciousness. Bor once again makes the audience read the entire section
on animal rights before revealing his stance on the issue; Bor claims to be a vegetarian which shows the reader that he believes animals experience
consciousness to the point where they should not be consumed as a food source. He presents the question how many animals actually have the brain
regions required for consciousness? Bor then answers that most mammals have developed these structures and saying that this is "suggesting
strongly that they too have some significant levels of consciousness" (Bor). He then references several animals how have been observed to use tools
and "demonstrate a mental life that many would classify as conscious" (Bor) such as a crow or an octopus. Bor refers to several test done to various
species to determine their self–consciousness and metacognition. The self–awareness test revealed "chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, dolphins,
elephants, and pigs" (Bor) to have some degree of self–awareness while the metacognition test revealed that "great apes and monkeys" (Bor) show
metacognition. Bor uses these results to support his ideals that "ethically consistent for us to extend
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15. The Location And Formation Of Consciousness
The location and formation of consciousness is complex and widely disputed.
Wilbert's model of "Body", an entire organism, and "body", separates the brain from the body, parallels well with William James' questions of "is it
me and my body?" or "Is my body me?" (Combs. 113). A common theme discussing the uncertainty of what, how, and where is theconsciousness
pinpointed. Kak believes "Self–awareness is an emergent phenomenon which is grounded in the self and the associations stored in the brain" (2). The
Thomas theorem describes the location and the emergence of consciousness philosophically, "If something is defined as real, it is real in its
consequences" (Walden. Lecture. 8/24/16). In Comb's sixth chapter, he touches on howmind altering substances, chemicals effecting the brain, alter
consciousness and mental state(s). He also concludes that the brain impacts the physical body. The example of marijuana changing one's "...sense of
time, body perception, and the senses" shows how the mind, brain, body and even self are all interconnected (52). The questions of where
consciousness is located and emerges and what are, if any, the limits of consciousness in these respects are still high disputed and unresolved in my
opinion. According to Wilbur's terms, location and formation of consciousness vary and depend of the context on the situation. When both the left and
right hand knowledge is considered, the more context you can describe, the clearer and more valuable the
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16. The Dark : The Evolution Of General Rhetoric, By George A....
Posthuman Ekstasis, Panpsychic Being: A Speculative, General Reflexive Rhetoric of Autopoietic Hooting Machines
In his 1992 essay "A Hoot in the Dark: The Evolution of General Rhetoric," George A. Kennedy proposed a foundation of and for a "General Rhetoric"
that encompasses the activity of all social, communicative animals, a rhetoric as potential energy that exists prior to not only speech but to the whole of
communication. Twenty–five years later, writing in the same journal, Philosophy and Rhetoric, and affiliated with the same institution, Pennsylvania
State University, Henry Johnstone identified rhetoric, as a philosophical activity, as one of the handful of activities that separate humankind from the
rest of the animal kingdom. Kennedy expanded the particular activities that fall under the domain of Rhetoric to illustrate, in part, that rhetoric, far
from being a superfluous, inexact art to be discarded of by the rampant logical positivism and instrumentalism which is characteristic of our era, is in
fact integral to the very existence, survival, and indeed consciousness of not humankind, but the whole of socio–sentient life. Johnstone, too, argues his
point against the devaluation of rhetoric as a discipline, even though his claim runs counter to that of Kennedy: rhetoric, he says, "is the evocation and
maintenance of the consciousness required for communication," a property unique to human beings (21). It would be folly, according to Johnstone, to
attribute this
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17. John Locke Is Wrong And Identity Of Humans
Just what is a person? What makes a person, a person? Are humans just made of atoms and molecules just like what the scientists say? Or are humans
something else, a soul perhaps? This has been debated for centuries by great philosophers, and one of them is John Locke. His idea of identity of a
human is that humans are conscious beings thus their identity involve consciousness. However, Thomas Reid believes that Locke is wrong and identity
of humans are transitive. But Locke's
To John Locke, identity of a person is their conscious; not substance or soul. However, what is a substance or a soul? Materialists believe that humans
are nothing more than animals that think, thus substance can change and the animal or the person can also stay the ... Show more content on
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A simple example of this is: The person is the same person as someone in the past if the person has the consciousness of the experience that the
someone in the past did. Thus, the identity of a person is limited to how much the conscious of later person remembers their earlier conscious
memories. Only then he is truly the same person or himself. But then this bring few questions: Can there be a the same thinking substance in
different people or different thinking substance in the same person and how do we punish people? To answer the first question he believes that the
issue lies whether a immaterial being with consciousness could have its consciousness of its past actions be completely removed then begin a life
with new consciousness. Nonetheless if it was possible then Locke argues that there is no reason to say that the person who's soul and conscious
lived before the removal is the same person whose new consciousness took over. To answer the second part, Locke says that the answer depends on
whether the conscious of the past actions can be transferred to another person who did not experience it. Locke believes this phenomenon is possible
and if it was, would this person be the same person he was before? Yes. Using Locke's theory where
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18. Personal Statement : Personal Identity
Personal identity is a valued sense of oneself as it sets us apart from any other one individual. Time transpires, yet we are capable of identifying
who we are because of the personal identity we manage to sustain. Personal identity is a significant and strong factor that allows us to lead our
everyday lives, separating us from everyone else in the present, past, and future. Individuals day in and day out are subject to rapid change internally
and externally and coming across obstacles that can appear to alter personal identity, so the question that arises is "Does the identity of a person
persist through time?" Yes, the identity of a person does persist through time. I believe this to be true, as identity is a strong and intricate collection of
many unbeknownst factors surpassing the feebleness of other forces throughout the course of time. The topic of discussion is personal identity: who
we are or what we define ourselves to be, allowing for a distinguishing factor between our personal identity and other personal identities. Personal
identity is subject to varying definitions and perspectives all while asking questions like: What establishes a personal identity, what factors entail a
personal identity, how is personal identity created, is personal identity capable of being replicated etc. However, one particular manner in which
personal identity becomes a subject of disagreement is whether the identity of a person is able to persist through time? Two philosophers, John
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19. Augustine's Doubts About The Consciousness Of Human
Consciousness refers to the relationship and interactions between our mind and its surrounding environments. Consciousness fades when the normal
patterns of waking neural activity in the brain are replaced by the patterns characteristic of sleep, or when the tissues of the brain are damaged
physically or by intoxicants. We do not have a set explanation has to how brain activity produces consciousness. It is concluded that consciousness is an
elemental component of the universe that cannot be discussed or analyzed any further by the human race. Doubts about the consciousness of animals
occasionally surfaced even in classical antiquity. Augustine argued that nothing can be perceived without reason, which is needed to judge and classify
sensations,
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20. Is Dualism Best? The Nature Of Consciousness? Essay
Student ID Number: 00180694
November 2rd, 2016
Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy
Professor Bayne
Dualism Best Explains the Nature of Consciousness The three theories we have discussed so far are the dualism theory of Plato and Descartes, the
Aristotelian theory, and the Physicalism (identity) theory of Place and Strong. The identity ofconsciousness means that if you have the same
consciousness, you are the same person, and if not conscience, you are not the same person. The thing that remains constant throughout all states of
consciousness is that it is physically the same human being. For example, the drunk person and the sober person are the same human being, but may
not be the same person. We are the same human being throughout our lives but we are not the same person, so our consciousness changes as we grow.
The Aristotelian theory and the Physicalism theory of Place and Armstrong make strong points about the nature of consciousness, but Plato and
Descartes' theory of Dualism offers the best explanation of the natural state of consciousness. Aristotelian Theory Aristotle questions if the body and
soul are both independent things. He claims that if affections of the soul can be separated, then the soul and body are separable. He stresses that we
should think of the soul as being similar to the body. Aristotle believes that not any soul can be matched with any body. For example, an animal's soul
cannot go in a human body because they have different
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21. Consciousness Is The Subjective Perception Of The Self Essay
Consciousness has been referred to as ''the hard problem'' and still remains to be one of the most baffling conundrums of our generation. Consciousness
is the subjective perception of the self. Consciousness allows us to feel happy, to solve problems, and to create memories.
Consciousness has historically laid beyond the confines of science. Rene Descartes, a French philosopher, laid down the foundation of the study of
consciousness by reflecting on what it meant to be conscious. Descartes was the one who introduced the idea of the mind as separate from the
body, otherwise known as Cartesian Dualism. Descartes' several theories sparked major controversy and discussion about consciousness. During
the twentieth century, consciousness was seen as a taboo because usage of the word became overused and there was no precise way to describe it,
so the word was 'banned'. Consciousness is a psychological construct because of its difficulty to be observed and measured, which is why it can
easily be seen as a taboo. Consciousness has gradually became easier to define, and because it is now accepted in the world of science, it has begun to
address some of the most challenging questions of our time.
Since consciousness is now at the forefront of neuroscientific research , neuroscientists are able to address daunting questions like that of vegetative
patients and whether they are conscious, how to diagnose these patients, and whether or not there are therapeutic interventions available,
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22. David Rosenthal’S Hot (High Order Thought) Theory Of...
David Rosenthal's HOT (high order thought) theory of consciousness claims that a state is conscious when one has a certain kind of thought, a high
order thought, about it. What it means for a thought being "higher order" is that it is a thought about a mental state. A thought about something that is
not a mental state, for example, a thought that there is a dog on the sofa, is a first order thought. But thinking about the fact that you are thinking about
a dog on the sofa is a higher order thought, or a second order thought. HOT theory seeks to explain state consciousness in terms of transitive
consciousness. According to HOT theory, the only way we are conscious of our own mental states is if we can think about them; in other words, if we...
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Even further, in the case of animals there are many concepts that they simply will not be able to learn. For example, the dog is unlikely to ever be
able to learn the concept of an MP3 or grasp the concept of what Wednesdays are. This objection continues by saying that, in order to have higher order
thoughts, one must have a concept of mental states. However, it is implausible that either babies or nonhuman animals grasp such a concept.
This objection says that the HOT theory imposes concept possession requirements on babies and non–human animals that can't be satisfied, even
though many babies and nonhumans clearly have conscious states. The HOT theorist has two general ways to respond to the objection. The first way
is to argue that babies and non–humans can satisfy the conceptual requirements on having higher order thoughts. The second way is to argue is by
presenting reasons for thinking that babies and nonhumans don't actually have any conscious states.
The second version of the "too intellectual" objection, which focuses on adults. One line of evidence for the claim that we have very few colour
concepts concerns the fact that we cannot remember fine differences in colour. For example, if you were looking at two very similar shades of blue
and were shown a third sample a short time later, you would have a very difficult time remembering which of the first two
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23. Ned Block On The Philosophical Topic Of Consciousness
Throughout the interview with Block, he stated that there are two kinds of consciousness, the access, and phenomenal consciousness. The interview
straightforwardly begins, with Ned Block on the philosophical topic of consciousness by the interviewees David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton,
where Block introduced the readers with one of those topics. In the beginning of the first two to three pages of the interview, Block claims that "the
problem of whether conscious perception is rich or sparse" (77–78). Basically, he claims that conscious perception would either provide or limit
individuals with awareness. One would either have full access of their consciousness or are limited to certain things that bypass them.
Ned Block claims that people are not as conscious as they ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One of the examples that I found to be interesting, that relate to access consciousness, which was discovered in psychology, state that people can miss
obvious items in the space that are right in front of their faces. The experiment is as follows; people will count how many passes between the
white–shirted members of a basketball team and ignore the black–shirted members. Furthermore, the passers will be moving fast in between the
basketball team, which will be a demanding task to process. Some might say that it's easy, but here's the catch, will they observe an individual
wearing a gorilla suit walking across a basketball court. Well, a very high percentage out of a same one state that they did not notice a man wearing a
gorilla suit
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24. Bertrand Russell on Analytical Philsophy Essay example
"The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will
believe it"
– Bertrand Russell, The Philosophy of Logical Atomism.
Bertrand Russell was born in 1872 in Wales, England as a member of a famous British family. He received a degree from Trinity Cambridge College
with honors in Mathematics and Moral Sciences. His most famous works included the subjects of logic and philosophy, which were deeply rooted in his
mathematics background. In fact, Russell is probably the most highly regarded and most read English–speaking philosopher of our time. Russell was
not merely an intellectual, but also a political and social activist, writing many ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Analysis of the Mind written in 1921 show the connections between Russell's views on the nature of the mind and how matter is altered in
relation to it. Russell's key themes seem to be that of physical vs. psychological. In fact, Russell expands on the ideas that there is in fact no difference
between the two and the only key difference is the perception given by the person trying to distinguish between the two. Russell sees the difference
between physics and psychology only in the laws that bind them, or so he states in the opening while it seems this theory will be altered throughout his
books.
Consciousness is logically fundamental. Without it, how can there be anything observed or even thought about? We need consciousness to experience
anything, including but not limited to, " sensations and images, memories, beliefs, and desires" . Consciousness is, in essence, the most important
aspect of the mental state, but Russell does not agree, and says so in the following passage; " `Sensation, in the strict sense of the term, demands the
existence of consciousness.' This statement, at first sight, is one to which we feel inclined to assent, but I believe we are mistaken if we do so."
Russell actually holds to the idea that while consciousness is important, it is not necessary. Russell states that he believes we are not always aware of
things that happen, and therefore consciousness is
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25. The Definition Of Consciousness
A person is whatever one wants them to be, they can have any features one wants them to have. Of course, everyone is going to have his or her own
definition and classification of who a person is. A definition of who is a person is going to be different for everyone; however, a person is someone or
something that has consciousness and understanding, they do not even necessarily have to be humans. Someone or something that possesses
consciousness and understanding hold traits of a person not just a human. The definition of a person does not have to be right or wrong; however, there
should be an understanding that a person does have consciousness and understanding.
A factual definition of consciousness; Consciousness is "2: the state of being characterized by sensation, emotion, volition, and thought: 3: the totality of
conscious states of an individual."(Pp. 1). One is able to physically feel, understand emotion, is a willing individual, and are ... Show more content on
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The definition of a person does not have to be right or wrong; however, there should be an understanding that a person does have consciousness and
understanding. Sensations, emotion, thoughts and will are important because these traits make a person and keep them alive. Understanding is
important because the person is able to use their conscious trait to act in a situation or environment. If someone or something depicts the characteristics
and traits they are considerably a person although even if one may consider their pet as a person, animals are separate from humans. A person is
important because they keep the characteristics and traits in accordance with the facts. Since consciousness and understanding make who a person is, if
those characteristics and traits did not exist neither would anything else, nothing would have a purpose. Consciousness and understanding are part of a
person and is what keeps them
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26. Margaret F. Washburn : An American Psychologist Whose Work...
Margaret F. Washburn
Born on July 25th, 1871 in New York, NY, Margaret Floy Washburn is known as an American psychologist whose work for Vassar College made it a
nationally renowned institution in undergraduate studies (Abhinav, 2012).
Education
Beginning college at the age of sixteen, with primary studies in philosophy and science, Washburn quickly became a member of the Kappa Alpha
Theta Sorority at Vassar College (Abhinav, 2012). She pursued graduate studies with James McKeen Cattell, an establisher of a new laboratory of
psychology at Columbia University. Women were not then allowed entry into graduate school at Columbia, however Washburn was permitted to
register as a class observer. After a year spent at Columbia, Washburn took Cattell 's advice and applied to work with Edward B. Titchener at the Sage
School of Philosophy at Cornell University, where she would be able to attain her degree (Rodkey, 2010). Titchener, a former student ofWilhelm Wundt
, wished to expand on Wundt's ideas into what is known as structuralism, the focus of study being on the structure of the mind. Titchener believed that
the method of introspection could be used on thoughts alone, not just physical sensations. Structuralism was a dominant force in the early days of
psychology, but it eventually died down in the early 1900s, as structuralists were conflicted amongst themselves over which key elements of experience
were most important (Gurung, 2011). Washburn was in charge of all research and
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27. It Is The Greatest Mystery Of All
"How can a three–pound mass of jelly that you can hold in your palm imagine angels, contemplate the meaning of infinity, and even question its own
place in the cosmos? Especially awe inspiring is the fact that any single brain, including yours, is made up of atoms that were forged in the hearts of
countless, far–flung stars billions of years ago. These particles drifted for eons and light–years until gravity and change brought them together here,
now. These atoms now form a conglomerate– your brain– that can not only ponder the very stars that gave it birth but can also think about its own
ability to think and wonder about its own ability to wonder. With the arrival of humans, it has been said, the universe has suddenly become conscious
of itself. This, truly, it the greatest mystery of all." –VS Ramachandran
After the first unit and research paper, the classmates of PSYV 358 learned all about what consciousness is: how it is defined, different theories of why
it exists, its benefits. I specifically learned that consciousness could ultimately be defined as the state or quality of awareness. It is often described as
an evolved property, one that as far as we are able to define, is unique to humans at the level of self–consciousness. Going back to Chalmers, and the
neuroscientific problems of consciousness, it could be said that answering 'where is consciousness?' would fall under the category of the hard problem.
Restated from the last research paper, the hard problem is
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28. The Mystery Of Consciousness And Consciousness Essay
Consciousness has been referred to as 'the hard problem', and still remains to be one of the baffling conundrums of our generation. Even so, that the
world's greatest mind could not possibly solve the mystery of consciousness. Consciousness is the subjective perception of the self. Consciousness
allows us to feel happy, to solve problems, and to create memories.
Throughout the nineteenth century and beyond, however, consciousness has laid beyond the confines of science. Rene Descartes , a French
philosopher, laid down the foundation of science by reflecting on what it meant to be conscious. Descartes was the one who introduced the idea of the
mind as separate from the body, otherwise known as Cartesian Dualism. Descartes several theories sparked major controversy and discussion about
consciousness. During the twentieth century, consciousness was seen as a taboo, so usage of the word was 'banned'. Using the term 'consciousness'
was forbidden because there was no precise way to describe it. Consciousness is psychologically constructed because of its difficulty to be observed
and measured which is why it can easily be seen as a taboo. Now, consciousness is accepted and has begun to address some of the most challenging
questions of our time. Because consciousness is now well defined and at the forefront of neuroscientific research , neuroscientists are now able to
address daunting questions like that of the "vegetative state".
The definition of consciousness is vital towards
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29. Consciousness : The Conscious Mind Essay
Consciousness in Animals The conscious mind is a complex thing that has many questions that science is yet to answer. The conscious is composed
by awareness and responsiveness in one's mind, it is expressed by one's emotions, thoughts, and actions. Consciousness to me is defined by the ability
to be aware and responsive. Awarenessis an element that distinguishes the conscious from the unconscious. To be aware is to be knowledgeable of
your surroundings and to know what is happening in the world around you. Similar to awareness, the ability to respond to situations or react is part of
consciousness. Responding can be interpreted as emotions, actions, and thoughts, these are important factors that contribute to the overall concept of
consciousness.
As consciousness remains an unsolved mystery to the science world, we know a lot about elements that make up the consciousness. Some of the
elements associated with consciousness is one's unique thoughts, memories, feelings and sensations. These elements are seen not only in human
consciousness but in animal conscious as well. We are able to study consciousness by observing the behavior in humans and animals. Observing these
actions we are able to see how consciousness affects the subject 's life in an everyday basis. As we expand our knowledge of consciousness in the human
mind, we question and explore the consciousness in the mind of animals. The big question here is: Are animals conscious? The abundant amount of
studies
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30. I Am The Inventor Of A Special New Robot
I am the inventor of a special new robot. My robot is able to survive and learn on its own, even when I am not there to help it. In fact, it responds to
my questions just like a person and even says that it loves me and misses me when I am gone. The government has passed a law that outlaws robots
like mine. They claim that such robots have no minds – they are just machines and they will all be destroyed. I disagree with this statement because of
two reasons: The function of machines, and the functions of minds. Argument 1 Machines are "an apparatus using or applying mechanical power and
having several parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task". In this aspect, the only difference in humans and... Show
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Through this, Searle argues that if a human and machine receive the same input and then respond by the same output, how are they any different from
one another? When given the same purpose, humans and machines have the same response, therefore machines may have a mind. Gilbert Ryle created
The computational theory of mind that claims "Computers behave in seemingly rational ways; their inner program causes them to behave in this way
and therefore mental states are just like computational states". He continues on by saying that "If logic can be used to command, and these commands
can be coded into logic, then these commands can be coded in terms of 1s and 0s, therefore giving modern computers logic. Through this, how is one
to tell if robots don't have minds if they use logic just like humans do. When the purpose of humans and machines are the same, they may process
differently in order to complete that purpose, although they may have the same output. Because humans and machines receive the same input and
return the same output, they both have minds in addition to functions and processes in order to do that. Argument 2 The mind is defined as "the
element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought".
Minds in general give humans the ability
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31. Do Animals Possess Consciousness Research Paper
Do animals possess consciousness? Are animals programmed to be slaves to nature or do they possess consciousness: the ability to be aware of
one's surroundings? While we don't know what animals think or say, we can speculate on their brain activity and behavior in nature. As Darwin has
said, "We differ from our closest relatives in degree, not kind." We may not be as different from the animal kingdom as we have thought. Alex, an
African grey parrot, was subject to a scientific study for thirty years. Scientists criticized this experiment, since Alex had a "birdbrain," which was the
size of a walnut. The popular test subjects were chimpanzees, whom were thought to be more intelligent. However, Alex surely proved the scientists
wrong; he had knowledge of around one hundred English words, and skills to distinguish colors and sizes. Not only that, Alex had made up a word for...
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For example, dolphins have talent in echolocation: the reflection of sounds to locate things. They also have the potential to imitate their instructors.
While it may seem like a simple skill, imitation requires the dolphins to retain a mental image of their instructor, and then copy the movements with
their own bodies. Two dolphins, Akeakamai and Phoenix, without training improvised a trick of circling underwater to spinning clockwise in the air in
perfect synch. Dolphins are clever mammals and are heavily implied to have consciousness. As Herman states," There are many things they could do
that people have always doubted about animals. For example, they correctly interpreted, on the very first occasion, gestured instructions given by a
person displayed on TV." Another underwater creature that shows signs of consciousness is the octopus. They can block their dens with rocks as well
as entertain themselves by shooting water at targets. Roland Anderson comments, "They may even express basic emotions by changing
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32. Virginia Woolf Animal Consciousness
The ongoing #metoo movement has prompted me to once again contemplate some deeper thoughts I once had about the female nature, specifically the
female mind. All humans, male and female, to varying degrees have the combination of both male and female mind. The male mind is mostly
exclusively found in men while the female mind is mostly exclusively found in women but everyone has elements of both, some more–so possess and
express the opposite than others but everyone harbors them. As simplified above the female mind is the feminine mind; the animal mind. If we are to
consider animal behavior, eating, sleeping, drinking, sex, raising children, and working (equivalence of foraging or hunting) would quickly be the
words used to describe animal ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Even when an immoral act is committed with some element of consciousness, one would see how much more of an impact it tends to have. Hence
why men's behavior sometimes seem more animalistic because it has more force, impact, and visibility. And it has more force, impact, and visibility
precisely because it has an element of consciousness in it. That is, it is not entirely animal/unconscious. Since men have some consciousness then they
are able to be immoral. The feminine mind, by contrast, is amoral. It is neither moral nor immoral because it is not conscious. Immorality is higher
than amorality since it has some element of consciousness. If the behavior were fully conscious, then it would be fully moral. Therefore, because of
women's amorality women are able to commit evil acts with impunity. Backed by gynocentrism and you could easily see how animalistic and base
women's inveterate behavior can be. Consequence means nothing to a person who feels they are always in a just position to act
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33. Being A Mental State Of Awareness
Conscious is thought to be a mental state in which we are able to process information and act on it. However this term is used to describe a state of
awareness while awake whereas there seems to be varying levels of consciousness that describe most mental states. If information can be perceived
(knowing or unknowingly) then it is likely that you are conscious, e.g. even when in light sleep we can dream and may even wake up on hearing a
loud noise, therefore the brain still processes information, however in deep sleep this is not the case. When looking at consciousness, there is what
Levine described as the explanatory gap (Levine, 1983). This states that in the present moment we are not able to provide an explanation for the
phenomena that is consciousness however as time goes on and our knowledge of neuroscience increases this gap will close gradually until it is
non–existent (Block & Young, 1996). However despite this statement being made by Levine around 30 years ago, the explanatory gap still remains
although it is clearly beginning to close, we still have some way to go before we can begin to understand what consciousness is. Consciousness is
inherently a subjective matter as there are many different meanings for the word which are seemingly thrown around without much thought, there is no
way to prove that one normal experience of consciousness is the same as another (qualia) and we are unable to scientifically explain conscious
experiences. Therefore before we can
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34. Relationship Between The Mind And The Brain
When philosophically analyzing the relationship between the mind and the brain, one must take into consideration all sides of the argument. The
mind–body problem exemplifies how mental states are related to physical states assuming that the mind is a non–physical entity while the human body
is strictly physical. What is the relationship between the mind and the brain and how is this used to explain all human thoughts, behaviors, and actions?
A physicalist, such as David Armstrong, would claim that theconsciousness is the same as physical brain; they both experience the same events. In
response a dualist, such as Thomas Nagel, could argue that the mental and the physical, the mind and the body, are two completely separate things. In
this ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Nagel asserts that an organism has particular conscious mental states that are only associated with characteristics of said organism. Nagel claims
that consciousness cannot be explained without experience, and experience cannot be explained by a reductionist being. Along with the
reductionist view, the physicalist view cannot explain consciousness. Physicalism is the belief that everything is physical, suggesting each mental
state or conscious experience has a physical property associated with it. Nagel contradicts this theory with his idea that every subjective
experience is connected with a single point of view and that having any objective experience is impossible. What is it Like to Be a Bat? includes
the example of bats to show the distinction between subjective and objective experiences. Bats are mammals and are therefore special and have
subjective conscious experiences. Nagel further illustrates this theory by discussing echolocation, a biological sonar that bats use to guide them.
Humans do not have the ability to subjectively imagine the perspective of a bat; they can only do so objectively. Even if an individual were to
transform into a bat during their lifetime, said individual would never be able to experience the same consciousness as a bat because of the inherent
way human brains are wired since birth. Nagel states that his "point is rather that even to form a conception of what it is like to be a
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35. Animal Consciousness
According to Martin Schonfield in "Animal Consciousness: Paradigm Change in the Life Sciences" "In the old analytic climate, claims that animals
are sentient raised methodological and ideological problems and seemed debatable at best."(Schonfield p. 1) Claims that animals were self–aware or
intelligent were regarded as unfounded. "The task of science in the past four centuries had been to demythologize the past."(Schonfield p.1) Daniel C.
Dennett in "Animal Consciousness: What Matters and Why" states "that speculating about animal consciousness makes no sense." (Dennett p.19) He
wonders why we need to know about animal consciousness at all. I disagree with Dennett and will explore the possibilities of animals actually
experiencing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
An internal mechanism is when the animal recognizes the threat and an external mechanism is when it remembers to flee the situation to safety.
"Consciousness is a fundamental biological adaptation. In all mammals alertness and sensory consciousness are required for the goal–directed
behaviors that make species survival and reproduction possible." (Baars p.6) They have language to communicate with each other. They use words,
motions and binary strings, "They have a semantic organization...; they convey social information...; and all languages refer to objects or events
distant in time or space." (Schonfeild p.3) Bees do a dance to communicate in their own dialect with each other regarding food sources. They share
culture. The macaques on Koshima islet in Asia learned behaviors copied by others in the group. "There are socially transmitted differences in animal
behavior–and consequently animal cultures" and they reflect a will to order their houses for the better." (Schonfeild p.4) It 's possible for animals to
create culture and pass it down. Take the case of the monkeys washing the sweet potatoes in the salt water because it tastes better. These animals are
consciously differentiating between salty and fresh water tastes. They are
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36. John Locke's Person Identity
Identify is needed to determine existence. How to you determine the existence of an object according to John Locke it must be compared in a state
via a determine place and time, to itself at a separate place and time (Locke 367L). An object cannot exist at the same time in two separate places. For
example, a 20 ounce bottle of coke at a gas station in Kentucky and another 20 ounce bottle of coke in an airport in Denver do not share the same
identity. This is because while they may share every single trait, the fact that they exist in separate places at the same time makes them separate objects
that do not share the same identity. From this brief understanding of identity Locke creates his theory of personal identity. Locke first makes the
important distinction between non–living objects and living objects. The identity of a non–living object, a bundle of atoms, changes, "if one of these
atoms is taken away, or one new one added, it is no longer the same mass or the same body." (Locke 368R). In Locke's theory the moment the atoms
change even in the slightest bit with one atom being lost or added the bundle of atoms are no longer the same bundle that existed before the addition
/subtraction of atoms. For example, if a stick of chalk made a line on a blackboard for every time one atom of chalk left stick to form the line a
completely new stick of chalk would exist. This concept of constant changing identity with the slightest modification does not extend to living
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37. Essay about Mind/Body Problem in Philosophy
Running head: MIND/BODY PROBLEM IN PHILOSOPHY
Mind/Body Problem in Philosophy
Barbara Buchanan
University of Phoenix
Mind/Body Problem in Philosophy The History of Psychology plays a big role in the interest of Psychology and Philosophy today. Several theories
have been developed and refined over the hundreds of years of history in Philosophy and Psychology. Included in this report will be the discussion of
the realm of the mind and consciousness, the mind and consciousness in relation to the physical body, and the independence of physical functions of
the body through the central nervous system.
The Realm of Mind and Consciousness It was believed at one time that the mind was a product of the brain. The mind is a ... Show more content on
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Descartes believed that nerves were hollow tubes in animal spirits and were the driving forces that resulted in the movement of muscles in the
human body. If one were to stick their hand on a sharp object, the mind would trigger the animal spirits to perform. The muscles and nerves in the
body were triggered by stimulation that caused the brain to open up and allow the spirits to move through the nerves involuntarily. Thus the mind
is what triggered the animal spirits to perform. Of course, after Descartes, the microscope was discovered and used to determine that indeed the
"tubes" were not hollow and were indeed controlled by the brain. Our mind receives information and processes same. There is only one area of our
brain that when the body dies, the brain dies with it. Where there is no thought there is no mind. It is proven that the mind controls by the body. The
mind is dependant on the Nervous system. An example would be the eye. In looking an object, the eye itself, the nerves and the light are all physical
parts of seeing the object. However, seeing the actual object is subject to consciousness. Our mind must be conscious of the object in our view. If the
eye is closed, the object is no longer visible. Therefore, the mind is dependent of the Central Nervous System. The Independent Mind Calmness, peace
of mind, freedom from anxiety and worry, inner strength and happiness are
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38. Double Consciousness In Toni Morrison's Beloved
W.E.B. DuBois defines double–consciousness as not only looking at one's self through their own eyes but also through the eyes of others. This is an
interesting way of looking at life because it applies to all cases. While one lives life, there will always be that thought of what the other person is
thinking about one's self. This is also the case for Sethe in the novel Beloved written by Toni Morrison because Sethe's action can be interpreted in
many ways depending on the perspective. Sethe killed Beloved so Beloved didn't have to endure slavery, worries and takes close care of Denver, and
goes to work on a plantation as the wife of Halle. With that being said, for each of that description there is a different description from someone else's
eyes; to everyone else who read the news like Stamp Paid and Paul D, Sethe was wrong for killing Beloved she acted like an animal, and with that
while she was seen as a wife, she was also seen as an animal, by school teacher taking notes of her actions... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Sethe was a slave at Sweet Home and when Mr. Garner wasn't there Schoolteacher took over. Sethe's identity at Sweet Home was a wife, a mother
and a slave. "Halle and me want to be married, Mrs. Garner.''So I heard.' She smiled. 'He talked to Mr. Garner about it. Are you already
expecting?''No, ma'am.' 'Well, you will be."(Beloved) This is how Sethe saw herself through her own eyes, the important events of having a child and
getting married. Dubois' concept comes in where Sethe is looking at herself through different lenses, Schoolteacher. "He was talking to his pupils and
I heard him say, "Which one are you doing?" And one of the boys said, 'Sethe'... 'No, no. That's not the way. I told you to put her human characteristics
on the left; her animal ones on the right"(Beloved). In Schoolteacher's perspective, Sethe was an animal, an amusement to white readers, in which he
would write a novel
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39. Absence of Evidence, or Evidence of Absence; A paper on...
Absence of Evidence, or Evidence of Absence? A paper on Animal Consciousness Consciousness is a difficult term
to grasp; so much so, that many scientists will not even attempt to define the term, much less search for it's evidence. Most however, do agree that
consciousness must include certain aspects; specifically cognition, self–awareness, memory, and abstract thought.
Lesley J. Rogers describes consciousness as, "related to awareness, intelligence, and complex cognition, as well as
language. Consciousness may be manifested in self–awareness, awareness of others, intentional behavior, including intentional communication,
deception of others, and in the... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In Dr. Pepperberg's book, The Alex Studies, she taught the parrot to be able to recognize different objects
by color, shape, and material. He was even able to eventually distinguish between concepts such as "bigger," "smaller," "same," "different," "over,"
and "under." When asked to identify objects, Alex correctly identified, on first try, 80% of all objects presented in over 200 tests (45). He was also
able to correctly pair different labels together to fit a certain object; for example color and material. After only two years of training, Alex was able
to communicate with contextual and conceptual use of human speech. He could identify, request, and refuse a set of objects for play or food (50).
Dr. Pepperberg also took precautions to ensure that she had not allowed for any "cues" to tip off Alex to a correct answer, as in the case of "Clever
Hans." These animals also demonstrated memory, another of the aspects of consciousness. Many behaviorists
believe that animals act only on instinct, or on conditioned responses to stimuli. Others, like Lesley J. Rogers, believe that memories actually play an
important part in an animal's behavior. "The uniqueness of an individual is not simply encoded in the enormous diversity of our genetic code (our
inheritance) but is established by our unique
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