Lecture 8 - Consciousness pt. 2

Question 1

High-Order Theories (HOT)

Answer 1

When you perceive yourself perceiving other thing (high-order perception)
Aware of representations that stimuli create in your brain… aware of your thought process (high-order thought)
No neurological evidence though…
Doesn’t explain much…

HOT Criticism
● ❌ Aware of stimuli, not thoughts about stimuli
● ❌ Doesnʼt take conscious action into account
● ❌ (No neuro basis… cf. Eagleman)

Summary:
HOT: philosophical, mind looking at itself

Question 2

Global Workspace Theory (GWT)

Answer 2

Your brain has these different input processors that produce different artifacts, symbols, sensory events… competing for your attention… if strong enough get into your global workspace (become conscious) …. Can be manipulated….

Competing input processors go into global workspace (conscious) go to receiving processors (unconscious)

Then gets broadcast into the other parts of your brain, and make use of it

Similar to pandemonium theory

● Intentional action
● Information Retention
● Planning and creative thought

Summary: competing input, global workspace, good for planning, limited neuronal evidence

Question 3

Global neuronal workspace theory (GNW)

Answer 3

Brain areas… fmri
People mapped out different brain areas and found a ex: long-term memory part of your brain, etc. (see image)
See that areas interconnected and talking to each other
Coming in, processed together, send out into motor systems
Now we have some neuroscientific evidence
Pyramidal neurons… would be involved in conscious processing

Question 4

Philosophy detour

Answer 4

Monism… all matter and thought are intertwined
Mind=brain/body
Thought=matter

Dualism
Mind does not equal brain/body
Mind = mind particles and body=atoms
Matter of thought vs. matter of cells
Pineal gland
Possibly a god manipulating us like a puppet?

Functionalism (philosophical)
Brain/body is a hardware that the mind is running on (software)
Sum is bigger than its parts
Body causes the mind

Reductionism
By looking at the system’s individual parts, don’t have to look at the whole anymore
Break everything down into parts
Only talk about/understand parts

Emergence
Ex: H20 molecule. Could look at the parts individually (hydrogen and oxygen), but it would not describe at all what the H20 molecule does, its properties.
Can’t break down
Sum is bigger than its parts
Calvin… Janitor’s Dream ..??

Summary:
○ Monism: Mind == Body
○ Dualism: Mind ≠ Body
○ Functionalism: Body → Mind
○ Reductionism: break down into parts
○ Emergence: canʼt break down

Question 5

Summary

Answer 5

● Consciousness Models
○ HOT: philosophical, mind looking at itself
○ GWT: competing input, global workspace, good for planning, limited neuronal evidence
● Mind Philosophy:
○ Monism: Mind == Body
○ Dualism: Mind ≠ Body
○ Functionalism: Body → Mind
○ Reductionism: break down into parts
○ Emergence: canʼt break down