--- In
Wittrs@yahoogroups.com, "SWM" <SWMirsky@..
.> wrote:
"Should Dehaene and company shut down because you cannot abide the
notion that brains produce consciousness while you yet have nothing
better to offer?"
Let's take it a piece at a time. I find Dehaene's work fantastic and
worthy of full support. But I'm not convinced that he means "brains
produce consciousness" in the sense that bones produce blood.
Excerpt of review
"The main thing Stanislas and his team noticed is that when neural
activity in the brain exceeds a particular communications threshold
across multiple brain areas, the brain enters a large-scale synchronous
state and consciousness appears. The researchers have also devised an
empirical test for the presence of consciousness and tested it on human
patients in coma, vegitative state, and locked-in syndrome. So far,
their test seems to reliably detect which patients have residual
consciousness.
"
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To say: "Consciousness appears", when the brain enters a
Synchronous-
State, is inconsistent with saying that the S-State causes
consciousness because the S-State is simultaneous with consciousness. It
is consistent with saying "with my brain I regain
consciousness, comparable to with my hands I play the piano.
On doing better.
Global Neuronal Workspace
Just like my desk top. Completely described on the physical level? Yes,
if you mean how these letters appear when I strike the keys. But No, if
you mean why this sequence of letters. To answer the latter question,
one must ask my intention.
D starts with my intention. The GNW is a tool, like my desk top. His
research makes more sense if thought of in terms of the instruments I
use to complete tasks.
bruce
