[lit-ideas] Re: Conscious after the fact?

Curious use of the word 'decision'.  Can I make a decision and never
know it?
I don't know about Phil Enns, but I do all the time. Consider, for example, 
my behavior as I check and respond to my e-mail. When I start there is a
full cup of coffee sitting beside my laptop.


These means are different types of decisions.
Drinking coffee in a relaxed situation could be managed by the sub-conscious (or pre-concious?) mind.
But there are situations that require instant decision making, such as driving in traffic in an unknown area. Decisions have to be made in situations that change in seconds. A normal person has a reaction lag speed of about a quarter second.
But most driving isn't like this. Most driving is calm. In California (well, in the Silicon Valley freeways) everyone drives leisurely at the same pace. There is so much traffic that there is no point to weaving in and out; everyone cruises at 75-80 mph (yeah, the speed limit is 55), and everyone keeps a safe distance between cars. So there isn't much need for attention. Just cruise along, listen to the radio, talk on cell phones, or read/send SMS messages.
I noticed many years ago that my body often starts moving before I decide to move. I realize that I want a cup of coffee and decide to get up for it, but my body is already in motion, turning towards the kitchen.
The research opens the door to classifying types of situations and decisions.
On some of the large issues, such as religion, it raises a problem: religion isn't a sudden-decision situation. Free will (or rational, deliberative thought) isn't part of this. There is no free will.
By the way, this Tuesday, a new law comes into effect in Calif. No more talking on cellphones in your hands. You must use headsets (wire or wireless). It's pretty funny; look around on the freeway and practically everyone is talking on cellphones. 

yrs,
andreas
www.andreas.com

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