Discussion Consciousness: The Fire in the Equations

[Mr_House]

The nature of consciousness remains deeply mysterious. How can the subjective nature of experience - my inner life - be explained in scientific terms? Does consciousness emerge from complex computations among brain neurons? Or is it a fundamental and irreducible property woven into the fabric of the universe?

 

[Wilting Daisy]

Interesting, thought-provoking question!
And the answer is....! (Drumroll please)
"It depends on who you ask!"

This is a very philosophical question, as science says consciousness can be explained through the firing of brain neurons, as you've stated.
Those who are spiritual may take it a step further by claiming it has nothing to do with physical matter at all.

I currently believe it is a bit of both: the mind being a separate entity from the brain, yet relying on the brain to perform so long as we are attached with the flesh.
For example, when we go "unconscious" through either anesthesia, a head trauma, or any other means.. our very state of awareness and sense of self is affected (state of being unconscious).
However when we die and separate from the flesh our conscious (or spirit/state of being) still exists, whether it chooses to occupy a new body, hang out in Heaven, or gets stuck in purgatory for a while.

When someone says: "You seem like an old soul.." I can't help but feel this directly relates to a spirit that has chosen to occupy several bodies in it's time.
You got me thinking about this a lot. I found a very interesting article with multiple scientific theories explained (Did you come across this one as well?):

Consciousness | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

iep.utm.edu

Scroll down to "4. Specific Theories of Consciousness"
(It's about halfway down the page)

 

[Hiraeth Grimoire]

I tend to think consciousness is immaterial and the most fundamental level of reality accessible to us through direct experience. What exactly is consciousness? I have no clue! It must likely be a form of energy, and if energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it is likely eternal. I subscribe to nonduality, voidism, metaphysical solipsism, empty individualism, and similar ideas. I believe we are all fundamentally one consciousness manifesting in different ways, viewing ourselves from different points of view. Much like we were once the sea, but then we became frozen, and then we became divided into cubes, with the illusion of self and other, but upon death, we melt back into infinity perhaps. What I do not understand is why we manifested in such a bad way. Whatever consciousness is, it fucked up.

 

[Forever Sleep]

The idea of consciousness has always fascinated me. Are animals conscious in the same way that we are? Some are most definitely self aware- dolphins, orcas, elephants, apes, some birds and even a fish in a recent study.

I guess it depends on how you define being conscious but I don't feel like we are as self aware when we are asleep. So, I guess that does mean it depends upon our brains doing certain things.

On the one hand, I can see why consciousness could be an evolutionary advantage- I think it gives us a huge sense of self importance- most especially if we are able to transcend even death.

On the other, I feel like it's this constant self awareness and analysing that makes us realise we are depressed and ultimately make decisions that are not 'natural' (if we assume our natural instinct is to survive and propagate). Depression can make us isolate ourselves, choose not to have children and ultimately kill ourselves. Still, I suppose you could argue that this is another example of 'only the strongest survive'.

I've always liked the idea that we have a soul that gets to meet the souls of the people who have died earlier when we go but I'm really not sure if that's just a story we tell ourselves to comfort us.