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Philosophy and Science of Consciousness

Philosophy and Science of Consciousness. Owen Flanagan James B. Duke University Professor Duke University Durham, NC 27707 USA. LECTURE ONE. THE NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

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Philosophy and Science of Consciousness

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  1. Philosophy and Science of Consciousness Owen Flanagan James B. Duke University Professor Duke University Durham, NC 27707 USA

  2. LECTURE ONE THE NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Consciousness is subjective. There are conscious perceptions, thoughts, moods, and emotions. Consciousness is phenomenal, comprised of qualia. Only living things are conscious (so far); but not all living things are conscious (plants are not). In this lecture we explore the phenomenology of consciousness, how it seems to the creatures who are conscious.

  3. What Physicalism about Consciousness Is Df. Physicalism (“Naturalism”) Consciousness is an entirely psychobiological process All mental events/states (conscious & unconscious) are bodily events/states. Each and every mental state on earth is a bodily state (maybe “extended”) <Token Physicalism> Q.: Why believe in physicalism? A: Physicalism is an inference to the best explanation given that we are animals (plus some other powerful reasons that have to do with causation, consistent relations among the sciences and between science and philosophy)

  4. Subjective Realism

  5. SUBJECTIVE REALISM (Biological Realism) REGULATIVE ASSUMPTIONS: 1. CONSCIOUSNESS IS TWO-SIDED Phenomenal Structure Hidden Physical Structure 2. PHYSICALISM is true

  6. LECTURE TWO THE FUNCTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS Consciousness is a universal phenotypic trait of animals. Normally, universal traits are adaptations, that is, they promoted fitness (differential reproductive success) at the time they evolved. In this lecture, we distinguish between robotic cognition/information processing and conscious thought and discuss what added value if any comes from processing information consciously as opposed to non-consciously.

  7. So, Today • What is the function of consciousness? • Do we overestimate its causal role?

  8. James on Function If consciousness is effective, it must because it is capable of “increasing the efficiency of the brain by loading its dice…Loading its dice would mean bringing a more or less constant pressure to bear in favor of those of its performances which make for the permanent interests of the brain’s owner; it would mean a constant inhibition of the tendencies to stray aside…Every actually existing consciousness seems to itself at any rate to be a fighter for ends, of which many, but for its presence, would not be ends at all.”

  9. FUNCTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS The consciousness of brutes would appear to be related to the mechanism of their body simply as a collateral product of its working, and to be as completely without any power of modifying that working as the steam-whistle which accompanies the work of a locomotive engine is without influence upon its machinery. Their volition, if they have any, is an emotion indicative of physical changes, not a cause of such changes. T.H. Huxley

  10. S.J. GOULD Q: REWINDING THE TAPE OF LIFE? WOULD LIFE AND AND MIND BE THE SAME?

  11. CONSCIOUSNESS DID NOT HAVE TO EVOLVE • BECAUSE WE DIDN’T NEED TO EVOLVE. THE WORLD IS CONCIVABLE WITHOUT US. • IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT EVOLUTIONARY PROCESSES COULD HAVE WORKED TO BUILD CREATURES AS EFFECIENT AND INTELLIGENT AS WE ARE BUT WITHOUT CONSCIOUSNESS

  12. Nick Humphreypsychologist • Since [phenomenal] experience, as we know it, is a feature of life on earth, we take it for granted that – like every other specialized feature of living organisms – it has evolved because it confers selective advantage. In one way or another, it must be helping the organism to survive and reproduce.”

  13. CONSCIOUSNESS INESSENTIALISM • THE VIEW THAT FOR ANY INTELLIGENT ACTIVITY I PERFORMED IN ANY COGNITIVE DOMAIN D, EVEN IF WE DO I CONSCIOUSLY, I CAN IN PRINCIPLE BE DONE NONCONCIOUSLY.

  14. EPIPHENOMENALIST’S SUSPICION Although Consciousness exists and enters into the characterization of some of our actions, it plays a relatively inconsequential role in mental life overall.

  15. Fire ------ Pain ---- Withdraw Hand • Fire ---- Withdraw Hand • (with pain as “afterglow”)

  16. Varieties of Functions What does C do? What is Consciousness for?

  17. Functions, Goals, Ends Aristotle says telos/goal or end is FLOURISHING/HAPPINESS (eudaimonia) REASON AND VIRTUE are “instruments” – uniquely capable of serving the function of Achieving eudaimonia.

  18. Some Candidate Functions • “Loads the dice” • Choice • Speedy Prudence • Rationality • Deliberation

  19. Point to Keep in Mind • Many things we do consciously were not selected for biologically Walking versus Dancing Reading Nature versus Reading Books Recognizing Patterns in Nature V. Doing Philosophy or Quantum Physics

  20. 2: BLINDSIGHT Blind Sighted • X • X • X • X • x • x • x

  21. 3. Mental Causation/Free Will • Readiness Potential (500ms) ----- Consciousness Awareness of Urge to Flex (200ms) - flexion

  22. But • VETO POWER (Seems to be Conscious)

  23. And, Real Situation Conscious Awareness of Instructions --- Conscious self-instructions to comply (minutes later) ----- readiness potential (500 ms) --- Conscious awareness of urge to flex (200ms) ------ Flexion

  24. CASE 4: Biological Function? The Strange Case of Dreams

  25. Overall Idea/Conjecture: Awake Consciousness has a biological function 2. Sleeping has a biological function 3. Asleep consciousness = dream consciousness has no biological function. 4. Asleep consciousness = dream consciousness is what you get for free from a system designed to be conscious by the light of day, which does not turn off completely at night & that is activated by the work that sleep does/is for.

  26. DEFINITION OF AN ADAPTATION T is an Adaptation (historical) just in case (1.) when T evolved it served a Darwinian Function/Purpose = increased reproduce success of organisms that possessed T relative to organisms that lack T & (2.) the increase in fitness is caused by T.

  27. T is an Adaptation (Modern History) just in case T is an Adaptation (historical) & NOW serves a Darwinian Function/Purpose = increases reproduce success of organisms that possess T relative to organisms that lack T & the increase in fitness is caused by T

  28. What is Function of Consciousness? Different Senses of Function: Fitness Enhancing v. Flourishing Enhancing Proper Biological Function ( e.g., sexual desire, which enhances inclusive genetic fitness) v. Psychological Function (e.g., mindfulness, which enhances well-being, eudaimonia) 2.Adaptation (animal tracking system) v. Adaptive (e.g., literacy) 3. Selection For (large brain for social intelligence) v. Selection Of (capacity to do quantum physics, philosophy)

  29. BEWARE: • Pan-adaptationism • Ultra-Darwinian Fundamentalism • Glib Inferences from universality of • phenotypic trait to biological function • of that trait.

  30. Dreaming Dreaming

  31. Overall Idea/Conjecture: Awake Consciousness has a biological function 2. Sleeping has a biological function 3. Asleep consciousness = dream consciousness has no biological function. 4. Asleep consciousness = dream consciousness is what you get for free from a system designed to be conscious by the light of day, which does not turn off completely at night & that is activated by the work that sleep does/is for.

  32. PROBLEM ONE How can I be sure that I am not always dreaming? (Cicero, Descartes)

  33. PROBLEM TWO CAN I BE IMMORAL IN DREAMS? “You commanded me not to commit fornication…But when I dream thoughts of fornication not only give me pleasure but are very much like acquiescence to the act…Yet the difference between sleeping and being awake is so great that I return to a clear conscience when I wake and realize that…I am not responsible for the act, although I am sorry that by some means or other it happened to me.” (Augustine)

  34. PROBLEM THREE • Are Dreams Experiences that • Take Place During Sleep? • (Malcolm, Dennett) • Are Dream-Reports reports of • (the real) Dreams?(cf. Freud on • dream-censorship)

  35. PROBLEM FOUR Is Dreaming/Dream Consciousness 1. Biological Adaptation? -- e.g. Eyes or 2. Exaptation? -- e.g. Wings or 3. Spandrel? Free Rider? --- e.g. Heartbeats

  36. Problem Five If dreaming is a spandrel do dreams mean anything or are dreams simply unprincipled noise? If dreaming is a spandrel can dreams be utilized in the project of self-knowledge? If dreaming is a free rider do dreams, like heart sounds, reveal something interesting about the dreamer?

  37. Functionalist Theories 1. NREM dreaming is for replenishing male & female sex hormones, cortisol, etc. 2. REM dreaming is for TRASH & SAVE/MEMORY CONSOLIDATION 3. REM dreaming is for building the brain to execute primary consciousness (perception, emotions) (3-5x in utero) [p.c. is basic, nec, required for s.c.] 4. REM dreaming is for threat-scenario simulation REPLY: Replace ‘dream’ with ‘sleep’ in first 3; simply reject 4

  38. Final Point: Lack of biological function for dreams, does not entail that dreams do not or cannot have discovered (heartbeat) or invented functions (reading on top of animal tracking system). Best hope:Activation of my thoughts, my memories by what sleep is doing, trying to accomplish, and aided by powerful narrative/memory capacities might mean that dreams are accidentally self-expressive and thus are one (not high value) data source to be utilized in the project of self knowledge.

  39. C’est Fini

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