...CONS: 00018 a0005 Concepts and Definitions of Consciousness D M Rosenthal, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA ã 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. s0005 Introduction The term ‘consciousness’ is used in several ways: to describe a person or other creature as being awake and sentient, to describe a person or other creature as being ‘aware of ’ something, and to refer to a property of mental states, such as perceiving, feeling, and thinking, that distinguishes those states from unconscious mental states. Distinguishing these different concepts of consciousness is crucial in evaluating the major theories of what it is for a state to be conscious. Among those are first-order theories, on which a mental state is conscious if being in that state results in one’s being conscious of something; global-workspace theories, on which a state is conscious if it’s widely available for mental processing; inner-sense theories, on which a state is conscious if one senses or perceives that state by way of a special inner faculty; and higher-orderthought theories, on which a state is conscious if one is aware of that state by having a thought about it. We will consider the advantages and shortcomings of these theories and variants of them. p0005 s0010 Concepts of Consciousness (I) The ubiquity of consciousness in human life and mental functioning makes it easy to overlook that the term ‘consciousness’ is used for three distinct phenomena. Though related in...
Words: 9948 - Pages: 40
...What is consciousness? Some philosophers have contended that "qualia," or an experiential medium from which consciousness is derived, exists as a fundamental component of reality. Whitehead, for example, described the universe as being comprised of "occasions of experience." To examine this possibility scientifically, the very nature of physical reality must be re-examined. We must come to terms with the physics of space-time--as is described by Einstein's general theory of relativity--and its relation to the fundamental theory of matter--as described by quantum theory. This leads us to employ a new physics of objective reduction: " OR" which appeals to a form of quantum gravity to provide a useful description of fundamental processes at the quantum/classical borderline (Penrose, 1994; 1996). Within the OR scheme, we consider that consciousness occurs if an appropriately organized system is able to develop and maintain quantum coherent superposition until a specific "objective" criterion (a threshold related to quantum gravity) is reached; the coherent system then self-reduces (objective reduction: OR). We contend that this type of objective self-collapse introduces non-computability, an essential feature of consciousness. OR is taken as an instantaneous event--the climax of a self-organizing process in fundamental space-time--and a candidate for a conscious Whitehead "occasion" of experience. How could an OR process occur in the brain, be coupled to neural activities, and account...
Words: 526 - Pages: 3
...STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS Consciousness - level of awareness of ourselves and of our environment - awareness of what is going on Mere-exposure effect - psychological phenomena whereby people feel a preference for people or things simply because they are familiar Priming - a phenomenon, often used as an experimental technique, whereby a certain stimulus sensitizes the subject to later presentation of a similar stimulus - Research participants respond more quickly and/or accurately to questions they have seen before, even if they do not remember seeing them LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS * Conscious level -Information about your environment you are currently aware of * Nonconscious level -body processes controlled by your mind that we are not usually aware of * Preconscious level -information about yourself or your environment that you are not currently thinking about * Subconscious level -information that we are not currently aware of but we know must exist due to behavior * Unconscious level -Psychoanalytic psychologists believe some events and feelings are unacceptable to our conscious mind and are repressed into the unconscious mind STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS A. SLEEP - a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles -To psychologists, asleep as being unconscious is incorrect * SLEEP CYCLE...
Words: 958 - Pages: 4
...Sleeps, Dreams and consciousness During our lifetime the mental process of our conscious mind is working asleep or awake. Though we experience altered levels of our consciousness during sleep, comas, mediation or when we use physcdelic drugs. our view of these levels of consciousness depends on if it is taken from a western or eastern perspective. During sleep dreams fulfil our unconscious desires and helps us to rest and restore our mind and body, if we don’t get adequate sleep dyssomanias may impairs our daily functioning, while parasomnias manifest the dissonance of our mind. The mind is a powerful tool how well it is functioning tells the quality of a person. Literature reviews have shown that Parasomnias has been used in the legal system to obtain a not guilty ruling for many serious offences such as murder. But I think this is an injustice, if Freud’s psychoanalytical theory says “ it is an attempt to fulfil an unconscious desire”. Then such persons are guilty. And it is an abuse of the body of knowledge in psychology that criminals use as an excuse to literally get away with murder it is even more dangerous when a wrong act is done unconsciously Society is quick to condemn views which differs from their own and when an eastern view on altered states consciousness is presented, those who hold a western outlook question the validity of the experiences. Because scientifically it may not be able to be proven. Yet there are more than two thousand recorded cases of reincarnation...
Words: 465 - Pages: 2
...Sleep, Dreams and consciousness During our lifetime, the mental process of our conscious mind is working asleep or awake. Though we experience altered levels of our consciousness during sleep, comes, meditation or when we use psychedelic drugs. our view of these levels of consciousness depends on if it is taken from a western or eastern perspective. During sleep dreams fulfil our unconscious desires and help us to rest and restore our mind and body if we don’t get adequate sleep dyssomnias may impair our daily functioning while parasomnias manifest the dissonance of our mind. The mind is a powerful tool how well it is functioning tells the quality of a person. Literature reviews have shown that Parasomnias has been used in the legal system to obtain a not guilty ruling for many serious offences such as murder. But I think this is an injustice if Freud’s psychoanalytical theory says “ it is an attempt to fulfil an unconscious desire”. Then such persons are guilty. And it is an abuse of the body of knowledge in psychology that criminals use as an excuse to literally get away with murder it is even more dangerous when a wrong act is done unconsciously Society is quick to condemn views which differ from their own and when an eastern view on altered states consciousness is presented, those who hold a western outlook question the validity of the experiences. Because scientifically it may not be able to be proven. Yet there are more than two thousand recorded cases of reincarnation...
Words: 465 - Pages: 2
...snatches of pains, drives, daydreams, and consciousness itself, more or less aware of it all (Forman, 2010). Meditationists practice clearing this clutter and reaching to a stage of experiencing inner silence which has been termed as the pure consciousness event (PCE). Pure Consciousness Event lies at the core of mystical experience (Forman, 1990). The assumption that mystical realization is an experiential phenomenon is reflected throughout contemporary scholarship (Woodhull, 2013). However, perenneliasts do not claim that all mystical experiences are same....
Words: 1708 - Pages: 7
...Berger writes "sociology is justified by the belief that it is better to be conscious than unconscious and that consciousness is a condition of freedom" (pg 175). Explain what he means and provide your opinion, does sociology contribute to consciousness? does is contribute to our freedom? explain this link between consciousness and freedom. Berger writes, "sociology is justified by the belief that it is better to be conscious than unconscious and that consciousness is a condition of freedom" (175). By this he means that in order for sociology, as a humanity, to claim significance in the hearts and minds of one or many persons those one or many persons must value- or come to value- a deeper awareness of themselves and the human condition. Also, in order to have liberation of thought and deed, one must strive for open-mindedness. In my opinion I believe that sociology contributes to consciousness and to our freedom. The more conscious we are the more we can detach from social constructions and expectations that have been laid out before us. With this growing detachment we can become free to take ourselves less seriously; and we may become more curious about the world than opinionated about it. When Berger mentions, “sociology is justified by the belief that it is better to be conscious than unconscious and that consciousness is a condition of freedom,” he means that in order to understand the sociology deeply, one people should open their heart as well as their mind to acknowledge...
Words: 837 - Pages: 4
...Altered State of Consciousness Chuck Detwiler Grand Canyon University General Psychology PSY-102 February 06, 2014 Altered State of Consciousness There are multiple ways of obtaining an altered state consciousness, some of them are rather harmless and some of them can be extremely risky and even fatal. There are multiple reasons why a person wishes to achieve these altered states, some for relaxation and relief of stress and yet others simply to experience a euphoria. Hypnosis and Meditation Hypnosis and meditation are a less harmful form of altered consciousness and do not normally involve the use of any drugs to induce this state. In hypnosis, the practice is put in to a trance-like state where they become susceptible to suggestions. In this level of consciousness they actually appear to be asleep. This may be one reason why there is some controversy over whether or not hypnosis is a level of consciousness that is different normal waking consciousness. A more detailed analysis of the brainwave activity may prove useful in determining the true level of consciousness a person is at when they are hypnotized. Meditation is another form of trance-like consciousness that is a learned technique that allows you to relax your body and gain greater control over involuntary aspects of brain activity. As a person becomes more skilled in meditation thru practice, they will be able to achieve greater control over areas such as breathing, heartbeat and even blood pressure...
Words: 443 - Pages: 2
...To what extent does rationality and consciousness constitute what it means to be a person? Both rationality and consciousness play an important role in the development and confirmation of a human being, however, other factors are also to be considered, the primary one being the physicality of the person. Each of these contributes to the clarification of a human being, and at what point they are to be considered a ‘person’, and not just a ‘human being’. It can be stated that due to serious birth defects to the physical characteristics of a human being, they may not be qualified as a person; this idea is supported through the view of Mary Warren in which she states that ‘personhood involves communication’. According to this, someone who suffers from mutism and thus cannot communicate linguistically will not be classified as a ‘person’. As a consequence of the idea that someone is not a ‘person’ because of their inability to communicate, abortion becomes acceptable, furthermore, someone born with the effects of pre-birth use of thalidomide may not be constituted as a person, again accepting abortion due to the their physical appearance. Despite consciousness and rationality both playing a role in what constitutes a person, some views, such as those of Maryanne Warren suggest the contrary, and that it is the physicality which decides. However, evidence and multiple views strongly suggest otherwise, and that it is in fact the consciousness and rationality, otherwise known as...
Words: 519 - Pages: 3
...7: States of Consciousness CHAPTER PREVIEW Consciousness is our awareness of ourselves and our environment. Conscious information processing enables us to exercise control and to communicate our mental states to others. Beneath the surface, unconscious processing occurs simultaneously on many parallel tracks. Our daily schedule of waking and sleeping is governed by a biological clock known as circadian rhythm. Our sleep also follows a repeating cycle. Awakening people during REM sleep yields predictable “dreamlike” reports that are mostly of ordinary events. Freud’s view that dreams can be traced back to erotic wishes is giving way to newer theories, for example, that dreams help us process information and fix it in memory or that dreams erupt from neural activity. Studies of hypnosis indicate that, although hypnotic procedures may facilitate recall, the hypnotist’s beliefs frequently work their way into subjects’ recollections. Hypnosis can be at least temporarily therapeutic and has the potential of bringing significant pain relief. Hypnosis may be an extension both of normal principles of social influence and of everyday splits in consciousness. Psychoactive drugs also alter consciousness. Depressants act by depressing neural functioning. Although their effects are pleasurable, they impair memory and self-awareness and may have other physical consequences. Stimulants act at the synapses by influencing the brain’s neurotransmitters. Their effects depend on...
Words: 3169 - Pages: 13
...03.05 Consciousness, Sleep & Dreams: Day Dream Believer Date/Day | Time in Bed | Time Awake | Number of Hours of Sleep | Summary of Dream(s) | How did you feel this morning when you awoke? | Number of naps taken today | Energy level during the day | Caffeine intake? How much? | 11-18/Tues | 10:10p.m. | 6:19a.m. | About 8 hours & 9 minutes | I was at a Surprise Birthday Party for my Sunday School Director`s Birthday and I was with my friend Ashley too, doing something on a computer. | I felt kind of tired when I woke up | 1 nap | I felt pretty energized throughout the day. Felt tired around the afternoon. | No caffeine at all | 11-19/Wed | 11:13 p.m | 6:20 a.m | A little less the 7 hours. | I don’t really remember. | I felt kind of kind of tired when I woke up. | A couple before class starts | Was energized throughout the day! Was tired when the afternoon came around. | None | 11-20/Thurs | 9:50 P.M | 6:15 A.M | About 9 hours. | I was at my school for Percussion Tryouts and then ended up in a Music store I think. | I felt energized a little bit. | A couple before class starts. | Was energized throughout the whole entire day and after I went to percussion tryouts at my school. I came home and was ready to pass out. | None | Date/Day | Time in Bed | Time Awake | Number of Hours of Sleep | Summary of Dream(s) | How did you feel this morning when you awoke? | Number of naps taken today | Energy level during the day | Caffeine intake? How much? | 11-26...
Words: 1032 - Pages: 5
...Characteristics of Stream of Consciousness Writing • Stream-of-consciousness writing is usually regarded as a special form of interior monologue and is characterized by associative leaps in thought and lack of punctuation. In stream of consciousness the speaker's thought processes are more often depicted as overheard in the mind (or addressed to oneself); it is primarily a fictional device. Stream of consciousness narrative differs from conventional prose, as it seeks to mimic the often fragmentary and disjointed nature of a character's train of thought. Rather than a series of structured sentences, linked by logical progression, sentences may be more fluid, adhering less strictly to formal grammar, often beginning and ending abruptly. The sequence of sentences may be marked by apparently random jumps from subject to subject, as the protagonist is distracted by some external impression or one idea sparks off another. Stream of consciousness narrative thus often requires more work from the reader than conventional prose. In recompense, the reader gains a privileged insight into how the character experiences the world from within. Interior Monologue • Stream of consciousness technique is perhaps most frequently associated with the interior monologue. The interior monologue is written from a first-person perspective, as though it were a record of the character's thoughts. The illusion that we are privy to an unmediated rendering of the character's inner self...
Words: 393 - Pages: 2
...State Of Consciousness State of consciousness, consciousness is variously defined as subjective experience, awareness, the ability to experience "feeling", wakefulness, or the executive control system of the mind (Google definition). There are many consciousness people face as in enduring issues with the mind body relation, sleep patterns as in why do we need sleep, rhythms of sleep , sleep deprivation, sleep disorders, dreams and why do we dream. Sleep, as a human or animal we need to sleep because our body regenerates its self when it’s at rest. Humans spend at least one-third in an altered state of consciousness. When we are tired we crave to go to sleep just as if we are hungry we crave food. We can’t live without both. No human can stay p past twenty hours without feeling like they are about to crash. No one knows exactly why we need sleep but it plays and important part in restorative function. When humans are asleep there are rhythms of sleep. Circadian rhythm is a biological rhythm that last about 24 hours. There are 4 stages the sleeper enters when they fall asleep. Stage one is when the brain gives you the signal your muscles to relax. It also gives off that your heart is to beat slower and when that happens your temperature begins to drop. Stage 2 is a light sleep. You’re not fully asleep but you can be awakening. Stage 3 you are in a deeper sleep. Your blood pressure begins to get lower because your brain gives off that message...
Words: 1941 - Pages: 8
...Attention and Consciousness – Unlearning Through Hypnosis Jill Rudiger June 8, 2015 PSY 335 University of Phoenix The study shown in the video Attention and Consciousness – Unlearning Through Hypnosis, focuses on the Stroop Color-Word test which is used in experiments concerning attention (Psychology media suite [Video file], 2008). It simply asks the participant to name the ink color a word is printed in. The catch is that the word “blue” might be printed in red ink. This sets up a cognitive conflict within the brain (“Hypnotic Suggestion Can Reduce Conflict In Human Brain, Weill Cornell Medical College Researchers Report”, 2005). Subjects that were considered “highly suggestible” were asked to take this test in practice sessions first, and then they were hypnotized while researchers watched their brain activity using both event-related potentials (ERP) and functional MRI (fMRI) (“Hypnotic Suggestion Can Reduce Conflict In Human Brain, Weill Cornell Medical College Researchers Report”, 2005). Researchers could see that the brain’s conflict-resolution area was no longer active when subjects were hypnotized as well as areas of the brain involved in recognizing written words (“Hypnotic Suggestion Can Reduce Conflict In Human Brain, Weill Cornell Medical College Researchers Report”, 2005). The study was performed in order for researchers to find evidence that the brain can essentially disregard responses that have long been accepted by experts as automatic or ingrained...
Words: 776 - Pages: 4
...Double Consciousness is a term coined by W. E. B. Du Bois to define an individual whose distinctiveness is divided into several facets. As a theoretical tool, “double consciousness” discloses the divisions in American society and allows for a full understanding of those separations. The term "double consciousness" originated from an 1897 Atlantic Monthly article of Du Bois's titled Strivings of the Negro People. It was later republished and slightly revised under the title Of Our Spiritual Strivings in his assortment of essays, The Souls of Black Folk. This was a concept established by the American sociologist to describe the sensed contradiction between social values and day-to-day struggle confronted by blacks in the United States. Being a black as well as an American raised conflicts amongst American social ideals, which blacks shared. Nevertheless, DuBois saw blacks as secluded from the visible American life. The problem of African Americans double consciousness can be resolved. But, in order to permit Blacks to be fully American with equal rights and benefits as any other American, and yet still be African, and uphold the cultural traditions, there needs to be a separation from the thinking that there is a "bio-genetically or naturally determined character of the personality (DuBois).” Double consciousness is actually significant in today’s modern society. “While majority of people would like to debate that we live in a post-racial civilization, there are still many differences...
Words: 561 - Pages: 3
