NationStates Jolt Archive

I would like to know what you all think being conscious means.

This does have something to do with whether you think we have souls or not, and I personally do not believe we have them, but my reasoning behind that is a different story.

I think that we are conscious because we are able to interperet, edit, and recreate patterns with our brains.

I would like to know what you all think being conscious means.

This does have something to do with whether you think we have souls or not, and I personally do not believe we have them, but my reasoning behind that is a different story.

I think that we are conscious because we are able to interperet, edit, and recreate patterns with our brains.
Consciousness is the ability to visualize yourself from "outside," to "see" yourself in your mind's eye as you would see another person in reality.

You might want to look up an interesting book on the subject, "The Origin of Consciousness In the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind." I don't remember the author.

EDIT!: here is that book I mentioned above ... http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0395563526/002-4659984-9968061

I think I've gone a bit beyond just picturing myself outside of my mind. I've found that I'm able to completely change my mind and control any element of it I see fit. Does that make me more conscious than other people?

I think I've gone a bit beyond just picturing myself outside of my mind. I've found that I'm able to completely change my mind and control any element of it I see fit. Does that make me more conscious than other people?
LOL! Yes! You are uber-conscious! :D

Yay!!! :d

I think I've gone a bit beyond just picturing myself outside of my mind. I've found that I'm able to completely change my mind and control any element of it I see fit. Does that make me more conscious than other people?
I can do that, except with emotions rather than my thoughts. Actually, I don't think I have any control over my thoughts......

I think I've gone a bit beyond just picturing myself outside of my mind. I've found that I'm able to completely change my mind and control any element of it I see fit. Does that make me more conscious than other people?

Self control? In your dreams. Therefore you're actually more unconscious.

Seriously, consciousness is just a function of how our language works. If we didn't have the word "I" we wouldn't have the problem of the concept of the self at all.

It takes me about 2~3 seconds to realize I want to stop thinking about something, or I can just force myself to never think about something. I can make subconscious messages so that I do things at certain times. I have almost total control over my emotions, a success that I value the most.

It takes me about 2~3 seconds to realize I want to stop thinking about something, or I can just force myself to never think about something. I can make subconscious messages so that I do things at certain times. I have almost total control over my emotions, a success that I value the most.
Total control over emotions is awesome, you can be a great liar if you're good at it. You can pretend to be who you're not, without the fear of slipping up and going back to your roots.

Self control? In your dreams. Therefore you're actually more unconscious.

Seriously, consciousness is just a function of how our language works. If we didn't have the word "I" we wouldn't have the problem of the concept of the self at all.

Your post is a function of how our language works... Every thought is a function of your interpretation of input via your eyes, ears, and other body part capable of electrical output to your brain. Without any input thought would stop very quickly.

Your post is a function of how our language works... Every thought is a function of your interpretation of input via your eyes, ears, and other body part capable of electrical output to your brain. Without any input thought would stop very quickly.

Yeah, I know all this stuff does stuff, but what I mean is that in many ways the concept of one "self", unchanging and somehow distinct from the material world, is just that: a concept. We think it's self evident because it's an assumption built into how we talk. In short, I think therefore I am is not necessarily a given.

Yeah, I know all this stuff does stuff, but what I mean is that in many ways the concept of one "self", unchanging and somehow distinct from the material world, is just that: a concept. We think it's self evident because it's an assumption built into how we talk. In short, I think therefore I am is not necessarily a given.

Few people ever realize this. And now, I will point to computers. They process things by electrical circuitry, but they do not become seperate from the 'real' world because they do this. It makes me wonder why some people would think that just because we have analog endocrin circuitry that we become seperate from the 'real' world.

Self control? In your dreams. Therefore you're actually more unconscious.

Seriously, consciousness is just a function of how our language works. If we didn't have the word "I" we wouldn't have the problem of the concept of the self at all.
Although it's possible to have concepts without words, words do not exist without concepts. The concepts came first, not the words.

Although it's possible to have concepts without words, words do not exist without concepts. The concepts came first, not the words.

I've always hated learning vocab for that reason. You can self teach concepts, but to keep inline with everyone else with words you must memorize, and even though I'm good at that I'd rather stick with learning things myself.

Although it's possible to have concepts without words, words do not exist without concepts. The concepts came first, not the words.

Actually, unless they relate to a very few select things, concepts evolve out of what can be made out of language. Many of the more crazy concepts humans have though up have no inherent possibility but look possible because of the way our language works. It's like in 1984 where they are changing the language to change the way people think. It really is how we work, I know I've read a serious scientific book on it but I forgot the title.

I would like to know what you all think being conscious means.

This does have something to do with whether you think we have souls or not, and I personally do not believe we have them, but my reasoning behind that is a different story.

I think that we are conscious because we are able to interperet, edit, and recreate patterns with our brains.

I also do not believe that we have a 'soul'.

My interpretation of consciousness would be self-awareness.