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From: roger@rtech.UUCP (Roger Rohrbach)
Newsgroups: net.ai,net.philosophy
Subject: Re: A halting problem
Message-ID: <846@rtech.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-Jan-86 20:40:30 EST
Article-I.D.: rtech.846
Posted: Sat Jan 25 20:40:30 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Jan-86 20:21:39 EST
References: <2175@aecom.UUCP>, <443@kepler.UUCP> <518@hounx.UUCP>
Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA
Lines: 39
Xref: watmath net.ai:3222 net.philosophy:3949

> John Donovan wonders whether humans are really aware of their
> state of awareness.
> 
> I don't know how to prove the existence of such a state of
> meta-awareness, but it sure *feels* that I have such a state.
> I can't tell you the first time I entered that state; at the
> time I entered it, I wasn't aware of the possibility of being
> in such a state.  It's a bit introspective, and I don't recommend
> dwelling there to the exclusion of more ordinary states of awareness.
> 
> --Barry Kort

	I second this, except for the last sentence (that state is 
uncomfortable, which is probably why you don't recommend staying
there (it's not possible to stay there very long anyway), but it
subsumes our "more ordinary states of awareness".
	A key observation here is that we are rarely in this state
of "meta-awareness".  When it comes, it's usually unexpected, and
often occasioned by moments of danger (e.g., an automobile accident),
emotionality (e.g., our "first love") or just strange circumstances.
What it leaves us with are those memories (we all have them) that have
a peculiar strength and clarity,  wherein we can remember virtually
everything about a particular moment- the visual impression of the
scene, our own inner responses, those of others involved in the
incident, sounds, colors, smells.  This is described very well in
"The Psychology of Man's Possible Evolution" by P.D. Ouspensky,  which
suggests a method for intentionally improving matters in this regard.
It is interesting to note the similarities between the ideas underlying
the Halting Problem,  Godel's Theorems, &c., and the "need for self-
transcendence" which figures in most "mystical" teachings.

					Roger Rohrbach
-- 

                                               {ucb,dec}vax!mtxinu!rtech!roger
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