Soul - Just an iterative activity of the brain?
A very interesting debate on the understanding of ‘Consciousness’
is recounted in the article ‘A Science of the Soul’ by author Joshua Rothman
published in The New Yorker.
2 theories exist: one is championed by Dr. Daniel Dennett
who believes that Consciousness is the product of a multi-layered program
running in the brain. His theory forms its basis on the ‘physicality’ or
‘materiality’ of the brain, namely - the neural network. Over a period of time,
the brain develops a ‘sort of’ sense of consciousness. The theory suggests that
if a robot is programmed with intelligence, it will develop an ‘understanding
of self’ over a period of time.
The second camp – the ‘dualists’ confirm with the empirical
approach, however they also desire the reasoning for the existence of the
‘self’. Professor David Chalmers, a proponent
of this camp, questions - ‘How does the inner space of consciousness open up
within the circuits and code?’ He also posits the view that ‘Consciousness is a
fundamental property of the universe upon which the brain somehow draws’.
The article concludes with the author drawing upon a
personal experience. He speaks about his mother, who survives a severe stroke
and which unfortunately, has left her in a less conscious condition. Vital
areas of her brain involving emotions, senses, memory and speech have suffered
and she has bare cognizance of things around her. At this juncture, the author affirms
his views to the first theory of Materialism, emphasizing that consciousness is
only reflective of what the brain can do.
Though the Materialism theory convinces the author and rejects
any sentiments about the existence of something else, one is somehow compelled
to think otherwise. Or maybe this thought is just an ‘illusion’ of my mental ‘machinery’?
Dr. Dennett would concur.
Comments
Post a Comment