consciousness as a logical point
that has an internal and external
capacity
this is to give a purely operational definition of consciousness
operational as distinct from substantial definition
a substantial definition tells us what x is
a capacity / operational definition tells us what x does -
what it is capable of - how it operates
as to the substantial question -
we can't say what consciousness is
there is no outer consciousness view of consciousness
so we can never know what it is
that it is
is to say what about it substantially?
that it is - and its nature can only be ascertained dispositionally -
the contents of consciousness can be described and so defined
the objects - outside of consciousness - can be described and so defined -
the world can de defined
but consciousness - cannot be known in this way
but again for this to happen - consciousness would need to be its own object
consciousness is subjectivity
it is that which perceives / conceives object
therefore
subject
so perhaps we need to think of consciousness as an ideal point - a transcendent
category
transcendent that is to its functions
its functions of subjectivity -
and objectivity
in itself - it is unknowable
a Kantian noumenon?
as I see it
such a view avoids - both idealism and materialism
as these conceptions / realities
are functions of consciousness
and cannot therefore be characterizations of it
rather than noumenon I prefer the description / idea of a logical point
a point that transcends subjective and objective realities
and all we can say here is that it is
no further description is possible
a consequence of this I think is that therefore consciousness is not to be regarded as a substance of any kind -
it is not substantial - it is substanceless
the question - what is the mind is therefore the wrong question
the mind as a what - does not exist
