Synopsis
The document explores the correlation between experience and consciousness, suggesting that consciousness exists beyond human comprehension. It introduces the concept of primordial awareness and proposes a theory that connects the physical structure of the brain with consciousness. Additionally, the document discusses the role of space and time in consciousness, using metaphors to illustrate these concepts.
The concept of primordial awareness is introduced in the document as an extension to perceptual states. It suggests that there might be acts and scenes of consciousness beyond the human understanding, performances of consciousness that go beyond the immediate senses. Primordial awareness is described as a form of rationality that extends into realms of complex correlates. It is part of the vast philosophical stage that encompasses all possible states of experience, not just limited to local and immediate sense perception. The document suggests that primordial awareness is a mysterious aspect of consciousness that exists beyond human comprehension.
The document proposes a connection between the physical structure of the brain and consciousness through the concept of property dualism. It suggests that while the brain is fundamentally a physical entity, it possesses non-physical properties known as conscious states. These conscious states are like subtle dancers that bring the performance of consciousness to life on the physical stage of the brain. The brain acts as a container or stage for the diverse acts of awareness, thoughts, and feelings to unfold, allowing them to be experienced within the defined space of consciousness.
- Metaphor of the “container of consciousness”: The metaphorical container of consciousness is described as a crucible or chalice in which the essence of place-consciousness is distilled. It represents the idea that consciousness is both the observer and the constructor of reality, actively participating in the construction of our perception of the world.
- Metaphor of time as a river: Time is metaphorically compared to a river, where each moment is like a flowing water droplet possessing its spatial essence. This metaphor emphasizes the continuous flow of time and the sequential performance of conscious locations on the stage of space.
Consciousness as a state-space
The proposition at the heart of our exploration is the correlation between experience and consciousness. It is postulated that entities correlating to experience are imbued with consciousness. However, the theater of consciousness is not solely illuminated by the spotlight of human observation. There exists, perhaps, a realm of consciousness, a complex interdependence, that resides in the shadows beyond human comprehension, a mysterious act in the grand play of existence.
Consider, for instance, the human experience of color – a vivid blue that dances upon the stage of perception. This performance is observable, a scene within the anthropocentric theater of awareness. Yet, there might be acts and scenes beyond the curtains of our perceptual stage, performances of consciousness that elude the human script of understanding. The next passage forwards the notion of primordial awareness as an extension to perceptual states which assume a form of rationality with concepts like infinity.
The philosophical stage is vast, encompassing the infinite space of all possible states of experience, not merely confined to the local and immediate scenes of sense perception. It invites us to contemplate a phenomenological space where the living and the dead may share the stage, where the boundaries of experience are not merely drawn by the immediate senses but extend into realms of complex correlates and primordial awareness.
The identity theory of state-space consciousness .
- Premise: A theory is requisite that intertwines the physical structure with the realms of consciousness, where the brain is a significant player on this stage.
- Elaboration: Space, the silent canvas upon which the drama of existence unfolds, is postulated as a fundamental ‘physical descriptor.’ It is the stage where the physical structures, including brains, perform their roles in the theater of reality.
- Premise: Time, a complex dancer intertwined with space, momentarily exits the stage, allowing an instant of space to be spotlighted, illuminating its potential to be conscious of itself.
- Clarification: Here, the ‘physical descriptor’ refers to the essential qualities that define the physical reality, where space holds a primordial role.
- Illustration: Consider a living brain, a dynamic actor, positioned at a specific location on the stage of space. Its performance is bound to its spatial and temporal coordinates, limiting its consciousness to its immediate scene.
- Premise: The argument subtly introduces the B theory of time, where instances of space are the stages upon which temporal perceptions and conscious locations sequentially perform.
- Metaphor: Imagine time as a river, where each moment is a flowing water droplet, each possessing its spatial essence, contributing to the river’s continuous flow.
- Contrast: The A theory of time enters the stage as a counter-actor, portraying a stream of consciousness that flows from the past, through the present, and into the future’s awaiting arms. It presents a differing script, where consciousness is a continuous performance, rather than a series of isolated spatial acts.
In conclusion, the argument orchestrates a philosophical performance, where space and consciousness are the lead actors, and time plays varying roles in shaping the narrative. Through logical structuring and clarified expressions, the essence of the argument is unveiled, allowing the audience to appreciate the subtle interplay of these fundamental concepts.
State-space consciousness dualism
Cartesian dualism, the venerable actor, presents a tale of two distinct substances—the mind and the body, the res cogitans and res extensa. Descartes’ performance paints the mind as a non-material, spiritual entity, separate from the physical body, each playing their roles in the theatre of existence, yet interacting in the mysterious theatre of the human being.
Enter property dualism, a more obscure and nuanced performer. Unlike the spiritual dualism of Cartesian philosophy, property dualism doesn’t cast mind and body as separate substances. Instead, it proposes that while the brain, or any sufficiently complex structure, is fundamentally physical, it possesses non-physical properties—conscious states. These mental properties are the subtle dancers, moving gracefully upon the physical stage of the brain, bringing the performance of consciousness to life.
The proposition at the heart of our exploration is the correlation between experience and consciousness. Imagine consciousness as a vast, ethereal theatre. The ‘container’ is the stage, the physical brain or structure, where the performance of conscious states unfolds. It holds and nurtures the diverse acts of awareness, thoughts, and feelings, allowing them to perform, to be realized and experienced.
This container delineates the boundaries of the performance, separating the conscious acts from the vast, unlit auditorium of unconscious, material existence. It is within this defined space that the dance of consciousness unfolds, allowing the content of awareness to be vividly experienced and interacted with, amidst the backdrop of the material brain.
In conclusion, property dualism offers a nuanced choreography in the theatre of philosophical thought, allowing for a harmonious performance where the physical and mental properties engage in a continuous ballet upon the stage of consciousness. The ‘container of consciousness’ metaphor enriches this performance, providing a stage where the acts of awareness unfold in the magnificent theatre of the mind.
The containment thought experiment.
Imagine a container of consciousness. The criterion is a sense of locality as apposed to non locality. The container of consciousness moves from location A as sense of place to location B as an alternative sense of place. After a temporal slice the the container of consciousness in location B moves back to location A. This movement of contained sense of place as place-consciousness suggest a form of property dualism. This is when the properties of consciousness are contingent on perspective of view. It seems to suggest complex interdependence of degrees of consciousness rather than the excluded middle where consciousness is non physical that somehow magically interacts with a place which has physical features, that are most notably causally dependent, mind independent and objective rather than subjectively aware of its locality contrasted to some other locality pertaining to standard objects as opposed to quantum particles with supper position. The form of this kind of property dualism which I strive to depict in my art works is syncretic property dualism. So it entails as condensed forms of consciousness observes bits of reality it constructs it as a state of affairs qua non locality which ostensibly is objectivism. So to further unpack the theory of syncretic property dualism a further analysis of containment of consciousness embarks on the nature of peripatetic consciousness.
In the philosophical discourse on the nature of consciousness, the “containment thought experiment” presents a compelling tableau for the exploration of property dualism, particularly of the syncretic variety. The experiment posits a vessel of consciousness, which we might metaphorically liken to a chalice brimming with the wine of awareness. This chalice is not static; it traverses from one locus—a “sense of place” at point A—to another at point B, and then returns to its origin. This peripatetic consciousness is not merely journeying through space but through the conceptual landscape of locality and non-locality.
The thesis at hand suggests that consciousness, when contained, retains a sense of place—a localised awareness that is distinct from the non-locality of quantum superpositions. This movement between points A and B, and back again, is not a mere oscillation but a narrative of consciousness interacting with space, embodying a syncretic form of property dualism. Here, ‘syncretic’ denotes the fusion of disparate elements, suggesting that consciousness is not a monolithic entity but a mosaic of experiences and perspectives.
The experiment adheres to the principle of parsimony, eschewing the need for an ‘excluded middle’—a realm where consciousness exists as an ethereal, non-physical entity. Instead, it posits that consciousness has properties that are contingent upon the perspective from which it is viewed. It is a complex interdependence, a tapestry woven from threads of varying degrees of awareness, rather than a stark dichotomy between the physical and the non-physical.
In this syncretic property dualism, consciousness is not an aloof observer of reality but an active participant in its construction. It is through the lens of consciousness that bits of reality are perceived and pieced together into a coherent state of affairs. This is not to fall into the trap of objectivism, which asserts that reality is mind-independent and objective. Rather, it acknowledges that our subjective awareness informs our sense of locality, contrasting sharply with the objective features of standard objects.
The metaphorical container of consciousness in Mr. Italozazen’s art, then, becomes a crucible in which the essence of place-consciousness is distilled. It captures the essence of syncretic property dualism, where the contained consciousness is both the observer and the constructor of reality. The art thus becomes a visual philosophy, a canvas where the interplay of consciousness and place is not merely depicted but is made manifest.
Locale dualism as an exclusive referential
The notion of locale dualism is one of entailment. So at any state-space a conscious state entails a space that excludes all other possible spaces in a given universe of possible spaces. The ostensible referent (head) entails a locale dualism if and only if it (head complex) exists. Therefore consciousness is by necessity a local state space. However there is sufficient reason for conscious to pervade as a non local phenomenological referent. The philosophical candidate is Panpsychism.
State space as a Panpsychism phenomenology
It is a sufficient condition that if consciousness is contained it may be universal. The claim here is standard notions containment to a brain hypothesis maintains a anthropocentric view. So if a local state space is material then its a sufficient condition that consciousness is universal if materialism is true.
Thorny problem of primordial entities
It seems to bring up a thorny problem of primordial excess. How could a evolved state space of consciousness as that of a brain excess “mind dust”? It invokes variants of the universal imaginary hypothesis as in need of Parapsychology to explain a conscious minds excess to particles or field consciousness. However this appears to evade versions of property dualism. Consciousness is everywhere. It also is a preference to behaviour models of consciousness. These can not account for subjective states given a priority to functionalist brain states correlating to behaviour states. However primordial entities are ontological truths’ that are part of the universe like sub atomic particles theories posit that through verification via collider particle physics evidence will be forth coming in time.