A View of Consciousness
There are numerous views of Consciousness. Some of these views
attempt to make distinctions between consciousness, the mind, and the
brain (body). The mind is the nebulous thing we associate with
consciousness, feeling and thought. The body - in particular the brain
- is obviously connected to the mind and supports the mind’s activity.
Yet Consciousness seems endowed with miraculous abilities that many
find hard to base entirely on the properties of the brain.
The human brain is in a sense an electromagnetic illusion. The brain is
just as insubstantial as consciousness in reality.
There is a general lack of appreciation of the power of electromagnetic
circuits to create illusions. We see the brain as a hodge-podge of
electromagnetic circuitry based on neurons and other brain structures.
We then view the mind, and its unity, clarity, powers of logic and
analysis, and other features composing one great entity.
It is difficult to reconcile the unity of consciousness of the mind with
the brain that implements it. Yet it is more difficult to deny that the
mind is based entirely on the brain. Modern research1 clearly shows
the dependence of the properties of the mind on the features of the
brain. Consider the effect on the mind of brain diseases or of injuries
to the brain.
Modem computer technology actually offers a very clear analogy to
the relation of Consciousness and the brain. Consider a modem
Personal Computer, a PC. If we open it up we see an ugly hodgepodge
of chips and computer circuitry. By only looking at the innards of the
PC we have no concept of what this electronic menagerie can generate.
Then we turn on the PC and see the fabulous graphics of a modem
computer operating system: lots of windows containing exciting
ɪ Gerald M. Edelman and Giulio Tononi, A Universe of Consciousness, (Basic
Books, New York, 2000). There are many other excellent books on consciousness.
See the references in Edelman and Tononi or search the Web.
graphics. We can manipulate these windows causing them to change,
disappear, reappear with new content, and so on using a mouse, the
keyboard or a joystick. We can run captivating multimedia games and
simulations with the click of a mouse or the movement of a joystick.
We can access and manipulate external information from around the
world using the Internet.
Does the computer screen look in any way like the innards of the
computer? Does the unity, sophistication and flexibility of the display
relate to the odd collection of electronics inside the computer?
Obviously not.
Figure. TheubiquitousPC.
This example is directly analogous to the relation of Consciousness
and the brain. The thoughts, unity and activity of Consciousness (the
“screen”) have no obvious connection to the details of brain (the
“computer innards”) activity. Yet the mind is a construct of the
electrical activity in the brain.
The Consciousness of the mind is the combined result of the electrical
activity of the brain.