Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!usc!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jpl-devvax!larryc
From: larryc@poe.jpl.nasa.gov (Larry Carroll)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Consciousness
Message-ID: <10126@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV>
Date: 27 Oct 90 01:41:38 GMT
Sender: news@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV
Organization: Jet Propulsion Lab, AEG/FIST
Lines: 26

Consciousness is part of the Universe, therefore it must affect other parts
of the Universe.  (As evidenced by all this debate about the topic, which
wouldn't exist if it weren't for the subject of the debate!)  Just how we can
objectively observe & measure it is unclear, of course, because we know so
little about the form & function of the organ that generates it.  But the
mere fact that we can't observe it directly & publicly isn't enough reason to
say it can't be studied.  After all, no one has ever directly & publicly
observed an atom; we must probe atomic nature indirectly & with instruments.
(Indeed, it's one of the biggest ironies of this whole debate that the only
phenomena we CAN observe directly is consciousness.)

Further, the other parts of the Universe can affect consciousness.  Every
time we sleep we turn our consciousness off (though not for an entire sleep
period; about every 90 minutes we dream, which is arguably a conscious
activity).  We can alter consciousness in other ways, through chemical &
electronic means, through meditation, etc.  The very act of focusing our
attention on one part of our environment alters our consciousness.  The
subject of our attention becomes part of our consciousness; other parts of
the environment disappear from our consciousness.  The process of learning
affects our consciousness; we become aware of more & at the same time are
able to relinquish conscious attention to old parts of our subjective
universe, letting them become automatic processes.

			Larry Carroll
			"Takes-us" (correct pronunciation of Texas)
			Dancin' Fool