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Theories of Consciousness

lpetrich

lpetrich

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What is Consciousness — Information is Beautiful — Infographics has a collection of theories, complete with illustrations of them. Here they are, with some minor editing:

Substance Dualism - A field that exists in its own parallel "realm" of existence outside of physically reality, so it can't be physically observed.

Emergent Dualism - A sensation that "grows" inevitably out of complicated brain states.

Property Dualism - A physical property of all matter, like electromagnetism, just not one that scientists know about.

Panpsychism - All matter has a psychic part. Consciousness is just the psychic part of our brain.

Identity Theory - Simply, mental states are physical events that we can see in brain scans.

Functionalism - Consciousness and its states (belief, desire, pain) are simply functions that the brain performs.

Behaviorism - Literally just behavior. When we behave in a certain way, we appear conscious.

Epiphenomenalism - An accidental side effect of complex physical processes in the brain.

Quantum Consciousness - Not sure. But quantum physics, over classical physics, can better explain it.

Cognitivism - The sensation of your most significant thoughts being highlighted.

Higher Order Theory - Consciousness is just higher order thoughts (thoughts about other thoughts).

Buddhism - A continuous stream of ever-recurring phenomena, pinched like eddies into isolated minds.

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I must add what might be called the Atman == Brahman school of thought, that our consciounesses (Atman) are actually a single super consciousness (Brahman) that has multiple personalities or else that is very forgetful of its overall identity.


I think that that infographic and my addition covers most of the major theories. Any additional ones?
 
Yes, there's one at least I can think of, solipsism.

All that exists is my own consciousness. You don't exist. The material world doesn't exist. It's all just an illusion.

For now at least, it seems a perfectly logical perspective for one to have, even if it doesn't seem very plausible, if only by virtue of all the impressions we constantly have that seem to relate to such a material world and to other people.

You should also disagree that my consciousness would be the only thing in existence but you could adopt this view for yourself without having to worry about any possible contradiction.

Enjoy, you illusory being. :)
EB.
 
Functionalism: Not just functions the brain performs but also how the brain performs, maybe there is more than one of these theories at work?
 
Speakpigeon said:
Yes, there's one at least I can think of, solipsism.

All that exists is my own consciousness. You don't exist. The material world doesn't exist. It's all just an illusion.

For now at least, it seems a perfectly logical perspective for one to have, even if it doesn't seem very plausible, if only by virtue of all the impressions we constantly have that seem to relate to such a material world and to other people.

You should also disagree that my consciousness would be the only thing in existence but you could adopt this view for yourself without having to worry about any possible contradiction.

Enjoy, you illusory being. :)

EB.
Click to expand...

Either you don't adhere or you're somebody else.
 
About solipsism, I note what may be called the Christine Ladd Franklin paradox.
I once received a letter from an eminent logician, Mrs. Christine Ladd-Franklin, saying that she was a solipsist, and was surprised that there were no others. Coming from a logician and a solipsist, her surprise surprised me.
Click to expand...
Russell, B. (1948). Human Knowledge: Its Scope and Limits. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 180.
 
Some overlap I think, presumably Behaviorism requires a functional brain so appears to be related to Functionalism, perhaps a matter of expression.
 
DBT said:
Some overlap I think, presumably Behaviorism requires a functional brain so appears to be related to Functionalism, perhaps a matter of expression.
Click to expand...
Tes, some of these theories can overlap.
 
lpetrich said:
About solipsism, I note what may be called the Christine Ladd Franklin paradox.
I once received a letter from an eminent logician, Mrs. Christine Ladd-Franklin, saying that she was a solipsist, and was surprised that there were no others. Coming from a logician and a solipsist, her surprise surprised me.
Click to expand...
Russell, B. (1948). Human Knowledge: Its Scope and Limits. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 180.
Click to expand...

Well, the term 'solipsism' is ambiguous. Mrs. Christine Ladd-Franklin could have meant in her letter to Bertrand that she believed she only knew her own self, or mind, and therefore not that of other people, if any. This would not be an illogical view to have as it wouldn't preclude believing in the existence of other minds, which in turn would make sense of her reported surprise that there were no other solipsists.

So now it's my turn at being surprised by what Bertrand said. Such a powerful mind, it's just incomprehensible.
EB
 
Where does anomalous or dual-aspect monism fit into this scheme?
 
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