Comments on: Without stimulus the mind is not alive http://ferrouswheel.me/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/ watching the world turn. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:46:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Don’t become a closed system — ferrouswheel http://ferrouswheel.me/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/comment-page-1/#comment-2500 Don’t become a closed system — ferrouswheel Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:07:10 +0000 http://blog.ferrouswheel.info/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/#comment-2500 [...] think though, that a similar law applies to intelligent systems. Without stimulus the mind is not alive and eventually a lack of synaptic firing would lead to the neuronal weighting between neurons to [...] [...] think though, that a similar law applies to intelligent systems. Without stimulus the mind is not alive and eventually a lack of synaptic firing would lead to the neuronal weighting between neurons to [...]

]]> By: Joel http://ferrouswheel.me/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/comment-page-1/#comment-600 Joel Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:49:59 +0000 http://blog.ferrouswheel.info/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/#comment-600 Neurons have state, their state is what other neuron's they are connected to and the weights of these connections. Neither of these are static. Even in isolation tanks, and with disassociative drugs the brain is receiving stimulus from the external world - the conscious mind is just not always aware of it. My argument was a bit flawed because I started crossing consciousness with general thought, and they are potentially two different although related things in my opinion. Interesting about the humans operating like animals most of the time. Self-reflection is definitely a part of consciousness. Neurons have state, their state is what other neuron’s they are connected to and the weights of these connections. Neither of these are static.

Even in isolation tanks, and with disassociative drugs the brain is receiving stimulus from the external world – the conscious mind is just not always aware of it.

My argument was a bit flawed because I started crossing consciousness with general thought, and they are potentially two different although related things in my opinion. Interesting about the humans operating like animals most of the time. Self-reflection is definitely a part of consciousness.

]]> By: Andrew http://ferrouswheel.me/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/comment-page-1/#comment-599 Andrew Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:25:41 +0000 http://blog.ferrouswheel.info/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/#comment-599 So are you saying that consciousness is the active change of state of our brain? I don't think neurons can be in a state, they can fire, and then they reset. Like a camera flash, it can't be in more than one state, albiet very temporarily. Also, what about sensory isolation tanks which remove people from as much stimulus as physically possible, the person is still very conscious. Or dissociative drugs like Ketamine, which achieve much the same. The brain is still very conscious. I think consciousness is a function of upper brain function, an ability humans evolved, and a phenemenom that is not constantly occuring. I was very interested in consciousness a while back and read some introductory books (Consciousness - Susan Blackmore, highly recommended) and have come to the same conclusion as some of the experts, that most of the time we are not conscious, as in aware, most of the time we just operate like animals, yes we remember things we did and we even have thoughts, but it's not until we back of and pay attention to our consciousness that we are conscious. It's truely a strange phenemenom though no matter how you look at it. So are you saying that consciousness is the active change of state of our brain?
I don’t think neurons can be in a state, they can fire, and then they reset. Like a camera flash, it can’t be in more than one state, albiet very temporarily.
Also, what about sensory isolation tanks which remove people from as much stimulus as physically possible, the person is still very conscious. Or dissociative drugs like Ketamine, which achieve much the same. The brain is still very conscious.
I think consciousness is a function of upper brain function, an ability humans evolved, and a phenemenom that is not constantly occuring. I was very interested in consciousness a while back and read some introductory books (Consciousness – Susan Blackmore, highly recommended) and have come to the same conclusion as some of the experts, that most of the time we are not conscious, as in aware, most of the time we just operate like animals, yes we remember things we did and we even have thoughts, but it’s not until we back of and pay attention to our consciousness that we are conscious.
It’s truely a strange phenemenom though no matter how you look at it.

]]> By: Zeren http://ferrouswheel.me/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/comment-page-1/#comment-598 Zeren Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:40:47 +0000 http://blog.ferrouswheel.info/2008/04/without-stimulus-the-mind-is-not-alive/#comment-598 What is transhumanism, what is it to you, would you explain it a bit? What is transhumanism, what is it to you, would you explain it a bit?

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