[ExI] Raymond Tallis: You won't find consciousness in the brain

Lee Corbin lcorbin at rawbw.com
Mon Jan 11 07:13:53 UTC 2010


Stathis writes

> Lee wrote
> 
>> It seems likely to me that the writer is simply
>> reiterating in some subtle way the desire on the
>> part of many for a "first-person" account of
>> consciousness. Which, I think, is impossible
>> (for the simple reason that as soon as this
>> account is recorded extra-cranially, it becomes
>> objective and no longer first person).
> 
> I think he's also alluding to the "Hard Problem" of consciousness.

Ah, yes.

> The Hard Problem refers to the fact that whatever facts are discovered
> about the processes underlying consciousness it is always possible to
> say, "but why should that produce consciousness?"

Well, thanks for that. I had never heard that rebuttal!

It seems true. Very interesting.

> It's not a very helpful question if no possible answer
 > can ever satisfy.

Yeah, if that isn't a sign of a "bad question", I don't
know what is.

Lee



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