consciousness, evolution and biological systems

Question 1

what is consciousness?

Answer 1

awareness of our thoughts, perceptions, memories and feelings

Question 2

split brain surgery

Answer 2

Outdated surgery to alleviate epileptic
seizures that involves cutting the corpus
callosum (between both hemispheres)

Question 3

what are cerebral hemispheres critical in?

Answer 3

1) conscious perception
2) purposeful movement

Question 4

what does the left brain do?

Answer 4

• control of muscles on right half of the body
• complex language - comprehension, speech, writing
• processing right half of the visual field

Question 5

explain Gazzaniga’s Interpreter Theory

Answer 5

In some experiments with split brain patients, researchers would flash
a visual command to the nonverbal right brain. Then asked the patients to verbally explain why they had done that
* The left brain would create a story to explain or make sense of the behaviour
* Gazzaniga theorized that this is how our unified conscious experience
arises
* ALL our behaviour is controlled unconsciously
* The left brain develops a meaningful narrative through which we can make
sense of our experiences – which we truly have no control over

Question 6

explain determinism

Answer 6

Everything is controlled by the laws of physics and preordained, therefore we cannot
interfere with reality

Question 7

explain mind-body dualism

Answer 7

Our body is in the physical realm and therefore controlled by the laws of physics BUT our mind is immaterial and exists in another realm

Question 8

what is the cartesian impasse?

Answer 8

it stipulates: If the physical world is entirely controlled by the laws of
physics, then how can our immaterial minds control our material bodies?