After reading Matt Jones comment in response
to my post, in which he indicated that I had not made myself clear in my
remark about the search for the SEAT of consciousness,( I assume
misunderstanding,since his other posts are non judgemental) I will try
to enlarge my views.
I certainly believe in scientific inquiry into all forms of cognitive
and sensory activities. In particular, the miniscule world of single
celled life forms, whose sensory impulses and purposeful actions can be
studied at a sub molecular level. The new studies of neuronic activities
of the spinal cord are also a doorway into the understanding of
cognition , memory, and instinct, (instinct being the orphan subject in
cognitive science).
In another news group, a contributor faulted another poster for
comparing consciousness to the steering wheel of a car, he said "it is
not the steering WHEEL, it IS the STEERING itself." In effect, that is
what I have been trying to say, that the study of the individual parts
that contribute to the overall creation of consciousness is most
important, but we should not confuse the causal individual activities of
the mind and body with the effective actuality of an evolved
consciousness .
Yvonne Chatham
