Big Brain Thinking

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• Emergency Guest (Bruce Cox) on 02/13/2006 at 12:00 AM

  Posts: 1

  Try this: consciousness does not emerge from brain activity; brain activity emerges from consciousness.  An experiment such as the one described will likely produce ambiguous results, or will confirm the null hypothesis, depending on the bias of the experimenter/subject.  Separating the experimenter from the subject has its value, which should be more than enough reason to not do as described, quite apart from the risk of brain damage. Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • 	Big Brain Thinking Guest (Hal Seyle) on 02/14/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts: 1	Can't trans cranial magnetic stimulation induce current in specific neurons? Rate this comment: (Reply)

    • 	TMS is not specific enough Guest (A) on 02/15/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts: 1	TMS is not very localized, e.g. you can induce large temporary lesions in visual cortex but not more. Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • Big Brain Thinking Guest (John Hatten) on 02/14/2006 at 12:00 AM

    Posts: 1

    I think that consciousness emerges from brain activity AND brain activity arises from consciousness. I would love to be part of this research. I am very involved in learning about the brain since my TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) in 1973. I've come back further than just about anyone I've known with TBI (and as a Case Manager for a TBI research project and now as a vocational rehabilitation counselor who presently works with several people with TBI, I've met hundreds) Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • 	overlay and filter Guest (travis mattera) on 02/15/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts: 1	I do agree that physical brain activity is directed by our consciousness, but it is also quite true that physical conditions, let alone stimulus, can have quite an effect on consciousness.  What will be the true scientific problem is how to rigorously formulate experiments and extract data.  Time to get creative! Rate this comment: (Reply)

    • 	Consciousness before brain activity? Guest (Mike) on 02/15/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts: 1	How could this be? We can easily show that brain activity effects consciousness, but not the other way around. Rate this comment: (Reply)

      • A thought Guest (MrMosis) on 02/15/2006 at 12:00 AM

        Posts: 1

        Not that I know anything about a human MT beyond what is said in the interview, but suppose his realization that and experience of his MT being stimulated causes his MT to explode. Brain activity being altered will have had an effect on coinscious activity, which subsequently had an adverse effect on brain activity. (which would then no doubt cause a serious counscious/personality shift and Bill Newsome would embark on a career change and become an artist.) Rate this comment: (Reply)

      • Consciousness? Guest (Ben Shumway) on 02/15/2006 at 12:00 AM

        Posts: 1

        Consciousness?  These people talk about it like it was some scientific fact.  What is consciousness??  How can you be searching for something when you don't know what "it" even is?  Decisions?  Who says we make decisions?  From instinct (emotion), you want to do one thing more than the other.  So, decisions and consciousness is simply the brain's ability to say "food is more important than being comfy", etc.  Why are people trying to overcomplicate things?  There is no ghost in the machine. Rate this comment: (Reply)

        • 	Could be. Guest (/e) on 02/15/2006 at 12:00 AM
          Posts: 1	You can't rule it out either. Rate this comment: (Reply)

          • 	can't rule out Guest (Mannan) on 02/16/2006 at 12:00 AM
            Posts: 1	You can't rule it outtttttttt. http://maair.net http://mannan.zabvision.edu.pk Rate this comment: (Reply)

        • 	Outside our realm Guest (Gard) on 02/15/2006 at 12:00 AM
          Posts: 1	The problem with studying consciousness, is that it is our own consciousness that tries to study it. Now try to grab your right arm with your right arm. Rate this comment: (Reply)

          • The simplest plausible solution Guest (Derlin) on 02/16/2006 at 12:00 AM

            Posts: 1

            Aren't we looking for the level of abstraction from stimulus to activity to consciousness? I don't believe they are separable but this kind of research may determine boundaries and even lead to breakthroughs in priorities. For example, the heartbeat is more important than breathing, breathing is more important than stopping bleeding and so on. It may be that shocking a brain will kill a person but a carefully applied stimulus may cause critical activity which could lead to the resumption of conscious thought. At least, that is how it would work in science fiction and is what shock paddles do with the heart. Rate this comment: (Reply)

        • 	consciousness Guest (eranimos) on 05/02/2006 at 12:00 AM
          Posts: 1	conscsiosness is awareness of our own thought ,ablity ,behaviour . Rate this comment: (Reply)

          • 	[no subject] Guest on 07/10/2006 at 12:00 AM
            Posts: 1	Also your bearings/whereabouts Rate this comment: (Reply)

      • 	Why Not - Encouraged to read on Kant Guest (Gurbachan Singh) on 04/26/2006 at 12:00 AM
        Posts: 1	How does an artist or philosopher creates art or notions completely original. We need to visit Kant and Clausewitz on coup de oeil or intution. A simple article is at chap 3 of the following link http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/aul/aupress/SAAS_Theses/SAASS_Out/Pellegrini/pellegrini.pdf Cheers Rate this comment: (Reply)

• 	The stimulis is simply artificial data in Guest (Sandi) on 02/20/2006 at 12:00 AM
  Posts: 1	By stimulating the MT he is only inputing false data to be interpreted by the consciousness. And to begin with he doesn't even know what data he inputs until his consciousness responds to it. I fail to see what he can learn beyond the effects of normal sensory input, except that he has fooled his consciousness with false data. Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • 	Not just simulated stimulus Guest (Evan) on 02/21/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts: 1	The part of this that could shed some light on consciousness is the fact that it is not just simulating stimulus.  By bypassing certain parts of the normal flow of optical information you can start to see what parts of the brain contribute to conscious thought as opposed to unconcscious calculations. Rate this comment: (Reply)

    • interpreting false data is the whole point Guest (Nate) on 04/13/2006 at 12:00 AM

      Posts: 1

      We can speculate that the  stimulation of the monkey MT does things to the monkey because of the monkeys response.  you can stimulate a monkey all day long, but at the end of the day the monkey's response is still just oooohhh aahha ahhh oohh. This guy will be able to describe the experience (assuming he doesn't accidentally damage his brain too much) of having his MT? stimulated. He knows the data is false, but will be able to still experience the sensation of the stimulation and describe with great detail what occurred. I think the fooling of the consciousness with false data is the whole point Rate this comment: (Reply)

• 	math Guest (chydgv) on 03/08/2006 at 12:00 AM
  Posts: 1	hi fatty Rate this comment: (Reply)