(October 11, 2014 at 10:31 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: Some other cultures describe the location of consciousness as originating from the heart. The human heart has the second highest concentration of neurons in the human body. If, as you say, according to your own philosophy of mind, that thought is an emergent property of the human brain, then you have no basis by which to object that other concentrations of neurons can support qualitative experiences. Experienced meditators, who have learned specific techniques, can and do unite these centers of consciousness into a unified whole. In folk psychology it is described as learning to think with your heart.
The key phrase here being "center of consciousness" - not every neuron is capable of producing qualitative experience - most of them simply transfer the information. Just because you see a set of circuits don't assume they host software. By my philosophy of mind, consciousness is the result of specific neurons in a specific formations - and either one or both are absent in the heart and the groin. So no, I don't see any other center of consciousness other than the brain - but I am open to evidence. But better evidence than "it has a high concentration of neurons".
