What is consciousness?

[mediumaevum]

Since my early childhood, I have wondered what makes me experience the world through this particular body.
My simple question is, why do I not experience the world through EVERYONES body, why don't _I_ experience the world from the perspective of each and every living creature at the same time?

The question gets no less complex by the fact that Time is an illusion according to leading physicists. According to modern science, time is an illusion, and the past and present and future is all the same.

So why don't I experience every event in the universe at once?

Logically I should do so, if there exists no conscioness as an entity or mass, otherwise known as a "soul".

I am perfectly aware of the scientific fact that my actions can be predicted by about 6 seconds before I myself recognize I will be doing the action. This has been shown in numerous scientific experiments.

Scientists then claim this is evidence that consciouness is part of the brain. But I don't see it as such, because it only explains where my thoughts come from, what
it doesn't explain is why I am experiencing only the thoughts inside MY brain, not the ones in other brains. Why am I aware at all and why do I only experience local awareness?

[the_antithesis]

Since my early childhood, I have wondered what makes me experience the world through this particular body.

Because you are that body.

You are not a unique and beautiful snowflake.

You are made of meat.

[Jmpty]

Since my early childhood, I have wondered what makes me experience the world through this particular body.
My simple question is, why do I not experience the world through EVERYONES body, why don't _I_ experience the world from the perspective of each and every living creature at the same time?

The question gets no less complex by the fact that Time is an illusion according to leading physicists. According to modern science, time is an illusion, and the past and present and future is all the same.

So why don't I experience every event in the universe at once?

Logically I should do so, if there exists no conscioness as an entity or mass, otherwise known as a "soul".

I am perfectly aware of the scientific fact that my actions can be predicted by about 6 seconds before I myself recognize I will be doing the action. This has been shown in numerous scientific experiments.

Scientists then claim this is evidence that consciouness is part of the brain. But I don't see it as such, because it only explains where my thoughts come from, what
it doesn't explain is why I am experiencing only the thoughts inside MY brain, not the ones in other brains. Why am I aware at all and why do I only experience local awareness?

This post is so full of errors and fallacies I don't know where to start. So I won't.

[mediumaevum]

Since my early childhood, I have wondered what makes me experience the world through this particular body.
My simple question is, why do I not experience the world through EVERYONES body, why don't _I_ experience the world from the perspective of each and every living creature at the same time?

The question gets no less complex by the fact that Time is an illusion according to leading physicists. According to modern science, time is an illusion, and the past and present and future is all the same.

So why don't I experience every event in the universe at once?

Logically I should do so, if there exists no conscioness as an entity or mass, otherwise known as a "soul".

I am perfectly aware of the scientific fact that my actions can be predicted by about 6 seconds before I myself recognize I will be doing the action. This has been shown in numerous scientific experiments.

Scientists then claim this is evidence that consciouness is part of the brain. But I don't see it as such, because it only explains where my thoughts come from, what
it doesn't explain is why I am experiencing only the thoughts inside MY brain, not the ones in other brains. Why am I aware at all and why do I only experience local awareness?

This post is so full of errors and fallacies I don't know where to start. So I won't.

That's a bit too easy to dismiss a post by saying so. I don't see any errors. If there are that many errors, you could at least point out 2 or 3 of them.
Also, if you have no intention of answering my questions, why did you write a post at all anyway?

That comment is as worthless as anything can be. It has no value. Why did you take your time to write nonsense, if you don't want to answer my topic with a serious approach?

[mediumaevum]

Since my early childhood, I have wondered what makes me experience the world through this particular body.

Because you are that body.

You are not a unique and beautiful snowflake.

You are made of meat.

I don't see how that alone should disqualify me or others from seing the world from the all-knowing perspective.

[the_antithesis]

I don't see how that alone should disqualify me or others from seing the world from the all-knowing perspective.

You do not see the universe from an all-knowing perspective because you are not everything.

You are just a tiny, insignificant piece and as such have a tiny, insignificant perspective.

[mediumaevum]

I don't see how that alone should disqualify me or others from seing the world from the all-knowing perspective.

You do not see the universe from an all-knowing perspective because you are not everything.

You are just a tiny, insignificant piece and as such have a tiny, insignificant perspective.

Is it not correct that according to some quantum physicists, everything is one and the same?

If everything is just the product of a singularity, why don't we see everything at once?

If I am just made of flesh and blood, why do I percieve awareness and consciouness at all?

[leo]

Consciusness is awareness of of Chuck Norris.

[LikelyToBreak]

There is a lot more than many are willing to admit about how consciousness works.  The typical atheist will only allow for the material part of the brain, because that is fairly well understood.  But, how that material actually works, is not well understood.

I think this video may show just how complicated things in our brain are:
[youtube:230huflo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FsH7RK1S2E[/youtube:230huflo]

Note, that towards the end where the scientist casually mentions that his colleagues didn't think his experiment would work.  There are a bunch of naysayers out there which will not consider anything other than the physical brain as being able to influence us.  Then some guy, like the guy in the video, comes along and shows us something amazing about the brain.  

Point being, mediumaevum may be on to something.  We may not have the vocabulary to talk about it and we may be prejudiced against it, because of all of the charlatans out there, but I don't see why we should just dismiss mediumaevum's questions as being flawed.  In fact, I think it is an interesting topic.

[the_antithesis]

Is it not correct that according to some quantum physicists, everything is one and the same?

I'm certain our resident physicist will better be able to say where you are misrepresenting quantum physics, but no. Everything is not one and the same, Deepak. If it were, then rape would just be masturbation.

If I am just made of flesh and blood, why do I percieve awareness and consciouness at all?

Because meat has evolved sensory organs to better avoid being eaten.

You seem to enjoy asking really stupid questions and pretend they're deep. It's annoying and I'd prefer you to stop it.

[the_antithesis]

There is a lot more than many are willing to admit about how consciousness works.  The typical atheist will only allow for the material part of the brain, because that is fairly well understood.  But, how that material actually works, is not well understood.

I think this video may show just how complicated things in our brain are:
Writer posted a YouTube video

Note, that towards the end where the scientist casually mentions that his colleagues didn't think his experiment would work.  There are a bunch of naysayers out there which will not consider anything other than the physical brain as being able to influence us.  Then some guy, like the guy in the video, comes along and shows us something amazing about the brain.  

Point being, mediumaevum may be on to something.  We may not have the vocabulary to talk about it and we may be prejudiced against it, because of all of the charlatans out there, but I don't see why we should just dismiss mediumaevum's questions as being flawed.  In fact, I think it is an interesting topic.

Oh, good. more wank.

Okay, genius. Before this goes anywhere, please explain how something immaterial interacts with the material.

I would ask you to explain what the immaterial is, but you cannot. So I won't.

[Hijiri Byakuren]

I think the_antithesis pretty much said it. You can only experience the perspective of your body because, as you mention science has confirmed, your thoughts and personality come from your brain. The only reason you would expect to see other people's perspectives is if you had this "soul" that is supposedly independent of your body. Why you would expect this from a lack of one, I honestly cannot fathom.

[mediumaevum]

I think the_antithesis pretty much said it. You can only experience the perspective of your body because, as you mention science has confirmed, your thoughts and personality come from your brain. The only reason you would expect to see other people's perspectives is if you had this "soul" that is supposedly independent of your body. Why you would expect this from a lack of one, I honestly cannot fathom.

Either I should experience everything or nothing.

As I only experience something and only locally, I think it is no wonder why people think there is a soul, unless it gets explained why we experience anything at all.

My thoughts come from my brain. But why do I percieve them at all? Why am I aware of these thoughts produced by my brain?

[LikelyToBreak]

mediumaevum wrote in part:

My simple question is, why do I not experience the world through EVERYONES body, why don't _I_ experience the world from the perspective of each and every living creature at the same time?

My thought would be, how could your brain handle that much information and still be able to do the job of taking care of your body?  Think about it, do you consciously take every breath, or for that matter regulate your heart beats?  Why do we close our eyes when we think really hard about something?  It is because of the limits our brain and body impose on us.

mediumaevum wrote in part:

I am perfectly aware of the scientific fact that my actions can be predicted by about 6 seconds before I myself recognize I will be doing the action. This has been shown in numerous scientific experiments.

It might help the discussion, if you could point us at some of these studies.  I seem to remember something about them from my own research, but forget where they were.  I also recall a study where a person in one room is seemingly able to communicate with a person in another room.  They weren't able to convey ideas, but when a flash occurred in one room, the other person perceived the flash as well.  Studies like this are not common and are generally written off as being irrelevant or simply as woo-woo.  Still, they are out there somewhere and may indicate somethings are going on which cannot be explained simply by a material brain.

[the_antithesis]

Either I should experience everything or nothing.

That is fucking stupid.

As I only experience something and only locally, I think it is no wonder why people think there is a soul, unless it gets explained why we experience anything at all.

Because you are meat. I've already said this. You just don't seem to be smart enough to acknowledge this, much less accept it.

[quoteMy thoughts come from my brain. But why do I percieve them at all? Why am I aware of these thoughts produced by my brain?[/quote]

Because you are your brain. If you don't believe me, destroy your brain and see if you're still here.