1 min to read
Consciousness
🧠 Experiences are competing for space in the brain.
What is consciousness? In order to begin our journey, we must have some sort of working operational definition so we can have an agreed understanding of what we’re investigating. However, consciousness has so many facets, features, bugs, and much more that it can be impossible to define. But I’m not complacent in rendering the definition of consciousness as impossible, so I will prod further.
When beginning an expedition like this one into understanding consciousness (or any endeavor for that matter), it can be so overwhelming to begin. But just start because that’s the most difficult part. You don’t have to be exactly right early on. It takes time to come to understanding. Find fun in the process.
So, we will not define consciousness just yet. That is too bold of a task given our ignorance on the topic. So first, we will collect a sample(s). Entertain ideas from those giants who have come before you. Fortunately, for your sake, I’ve done the introductory entertaining already - for approximately 5 years now since 2019. And if you have ideas of your own, I invite you to share them as well.
I believe our discussion rightfully begins with looking back to antiquity. Namely, philosophical perspectives. Our journey is like so:
Philosophy -> Psychology -> Neuroscience
Philosophy is science in its infancy. The philosopher is the would-be scientist without a laboratory says Neil DeGrasse Tyson. The shortcoming of the philosophers is the absence of empirical data collection. Here’s a meme depicting various occupations of truth seekers from different ‘purity’ levels of abstraction.
