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CONSCIOUSNESS > TASK 2 - PROBLEMS + CONCEPTS > Flashcards

TASK 2 - PROBLEMS + CONCEPTS Flashcards

1
Q

easy problem of consciousness

A

1) how the brain processes environmental stimulation
2) how the brain integrates information
3) how we produce reports on internal states

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2
Q

hard problem of consciousness

A
  • why processing is accompanied by an experienced inner life
  • standard methods of neuroscience and cognitive science do not work
  • Chalmers obeys constraints:
    1) taking the problem of consciousness seriously: (1) assuming that consciousness exists, (2) not redefining the problem by explaining how certain cognitive or behavioural functions are performed
    2) taking science seriously: ideas compatible to contemporary science; not trying to dispute scientific theories in domains where they have authority
    3) taking consciousness to be a natural phenomenon: falls under the sway of natural laws
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3
Q

consciousness

A
  • experience is central to consciousness –> everyone has conscious experiences of their own
  • ambiguous term: refers to a number of phenomena
    1) Cognitive capacity (the ability to introspect or to report one’s mental states)
    2) awakeness
    3) ability to focus attention, 4) ability to voluntarily control behaviour
  • subjective matter of consciousness = subjective quality of experience
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4
Q

conscious experience

A

= internal aspect of our perceptions, actions, thoughts = phenomenal qualities

  • when a bing is conscious, we say there is something it is like to be that being
  • -> e.g. mental state: is conscious, if there is something it is like to be in that mental state
  • this suggest that there is a qualitative feel/quality of experience
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5
Q

targets of explanation

- conscious experience

A
  1. existence of consciousness:
    - why does conscious experience exist; how does it arise from physical systems; is it physical or accompanying physical systems
  2. character of consciousness:
    - why are individual experiences of particular nature; why is the experience one way and not another
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6
Q

aspects

- conscious experience

A
  • visual/auditory/tactile/olfactory/ taste experiences
  • pain
  • mental imagery, conscious thought
  • emotion
  • sense of self
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7
Q

theory of consciousness

A
  • should give conditions which physical processes give rise to consciousness
  • should specify what sort of experience is associated with these processes
  • explain how consciousness arises
  • see consciousness as integral part of natural world
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8
Q

phenomenal concept of mind

A

= mind as conscious experience; what it feels

- first-person aspects

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9
Q

psychological concept of mind

A

= causal/explanatory basis for behaviour; what it does

  • matters little whether mental state has conscious quality or not
  • third-person aspects
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10
Q

history

1) Descartes

A

= mind is transparent to itself

  • -> phenomenal
  • every event in the mind is content of experience
  • -> error of assimilating the psychological to phenomenal
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11
Q

history

2) Wundt + James

A
  • introspection to investigate causes of behaviour
  • psychological theories based on introspection
  • -> phenomenal
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12
Q

history

3) Freud

A
  • unconscious activities
  • -> non-phenomenal
  • mentality is independent of phenomenal notions: accessibility to consciousness is not essential to state’s relevance in explanation of behaviour
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13
Q

history

4) behaviourism

A

= behaviour is a reflex to environmental stimuli or a consequence of individual’s history
–> psychological

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14
Q

history

5) cognitive science

A

= mind as internal basis of behaviour

- explanation of behaviour is not dependent on phenomenal notions

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15
Q

philosophical history

1) Ryle

A

= all mental concepts can be analysed in terms of certain kinds of associated behaviours

  • dispositions to behave in certain ways
  • -> psychological
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16
Q

philosophical history

2) functionalism

A

= made mental states internal and standing in correct causal relation to behaviour

  • mental state is defined wholly by its causal role
    1) stimulation that produce it
    2) behaviour it produces
    3) how it interacts with other mental states
  • reasonable construal for many mental concepts –> BUT applied to all mental concepts
  • -> error of assimilating phenomenal to psychological
17
Q

double life of mental terms

A
  • mental property is either phenomenal, psychological pr combination
  • mental concepts have psychological + phenomenal components –> some lean towards one end
  • whenever phenomenal property observed, needs to be communicated by psychological state
  • -> sort of conscious experience that accompanies psychological property
18
Q

mind-body problem

A

= debate concerning the relationship between consciousness in the human MIND, and the brain as part of the physical BODY

19
Q

mind-body problem

1. easy part

A

= PSYCHOLOGICAL aspects

  • organisation of the physical system (reacting to environmental stimulation) + produce behaviour
  • -> DISSOLVED: smaller technical problems to science remain; no metaphysical problems
20
Q

mind-body problem

2. hard part

A

= PHENOMENAL aspects

  • how and why cognitive functioning is accompanied by conscious experience
  • -> residue of mind-mind problem: link between psychological and phenomenal mind is not yet understood
21
Q

psychological consciousness

A

= psychological properties of consciousness; repeatability and introspective accessibility of info
- psychological notions are also associated with phenomenal states

22
Q

psychological notions of consciousness

1. awakeness

A

= not asleep = conscious

- ability to process info about world and deal with it in rational fashion

23
Q

psychological notions of consciousness

2. introspection

A

= process by which we can become aware of the contents of our internal states
- analysed by rational processes being sensitive to info about one’s internal states + one being able to use this info

24
Q

psychological notions of consciousness

3. reportability

A

= report of mental states

- presupposes ability to introspect + capacity of language

25
Q

psychological notions of consciousness

4. self-consciousness

A

= think about ourselves, awareness of our existence as individuals distinctiveness from others

  • analysed by possession of representation associated with myself
  • limited to humans (few animal species)
26
Q

psychological notions of consciousness

5. attention

A

= pay attention to something = conscious

- can be phenomenally conscious of something without attending to it

27
Q

psychological notions of consciousness

6. voluntary control

A

= act is performed deliberately = conscious (behavioural act)

28
Q

psychological notions of consciousness

7. knowledge

A

= know the fact = conscious of fact

29
Q

phenomenal consciousness

A

= phenomenal properties of consciousness; observing some phenomenal quality

  • awareness: psychological property associated with phenomenal consciousness
  • whenever there is phenomenal consciousness, there seems to be awareness
  • -> consciousness is always accompanied by awareness, but awareness need not be accompanied by consciousness –> somebody can be aware of a fact without any particular conscious experience
  • POSES MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEM
30
Q

awareness

A

= state where we have access to some info + use this Information in the control of behaviour

  • psychological property associated with phenomenal consciousness
  • awareness of info brings ability to direct behaviour depending on info (psychological)
  • encapsulates psychological notions: introspection, attention, self-consciousness, voluntary control, awakeness
  • poses FEW metaphysical problems

CONSCIOUSNESS (9 decks)

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