(June 13, 2019 at 1:19 am)Gae Bolga Wrote:Quote:Based on the information contained in this simplified model, brain B would conclude that it possesses a phenomenon with all of the most salient aspects of attention – the ability to take mental possession of an object, focus one’s resources on it, and, ultimately, act on it – but without any of the mechanisms that make this process physically possible. It would conclude that it possesses a magical, non-physical essence, but one which can nevertheless act and exert causal control over behavior, a mysterious conclusion indeed.
I read part of the article but professor-speak is tiresome. It's not mysterious that a non-physical essence can control behavior. Not to me anyway. It may be for Cartesians but from a hylomorphic view it makes perfect sense. Besides you can conduct this experiment in the comfort of your own home to prove the authors are wrong. Decide that in ten minutes you will do the chicken dance. Set the alarm. Unless you change your mind, or something like a fatal stroke intervenes, in ten minutes you will do the chicken dance. You could probably get the results published.
From what I read the authors are saying that when my attention is focused on an apple the brain 'computes' a 'schema' that I am aware my attention is on the apple. What insight! But that doesn't mean my experience of looking at an apple or being aware I'm looking at an apple is the same thing as whatever brain stuff the authors imagine is going on here. In fact they are very different things. The two things may correspond but they are not the same.
