what I have been putting is that consciousness is the inside dimension
of reality
I don't think all of the surface reality has an underlying consciousness
only life forms I think have this possibility
and within this group only complex forms
I think all consciousness is self-consciousness
that is that any form that has consciousness
recognizes - at least at a very primitive level - non-conscious reality
this recognition distinguishes
the distinguishing is the fact - of self
self as I am defining it is essentially a logical fact
the fact of differentiation
all right
so my basic position is that the mind-body problem is dimensional
not substantial
we are talking about two dimensions - not two substances
awareness is the inside of things - that have an inside
this is what the mind is
non-awareness is the outside
the outside is not aware
the brain on this view is squarely part of the surface of the world
therefore the brain - as a surface category - is not aware
if you want to characterize the outside world as physical
the physical is not aware
the brain is not the mind
OK
so the question - what is the relation between the inside (of a human being)
and the outside?
we are aware of the outside - that awareness is internal
it is in the broadest sense - knowing
thus when we observe the brain - scientifically that is - our awareness -
in the form of neurological conceptions is what?
the mind's picture of the brain
now the question - can we jump to -
the mind's picture of itself
no
the mind is awareness
we are self-awareness
therefore aware of awareness
that is the mind's picture of itself
it is really quite contentless
if I say the mind is the brain what am I doing?
on my thinking I am saying the inside is - the outside - or a particular
location of it
the inside is the outside?
such an argument is to destroy the essential distinction of my argument
it is to go against what I see to be the basic reality we face
such would not be a move forward
the mind has a picture of the outside
the outside of itself - yes
the mind cannot be identified with any particular feature or region
of the outside
it can only equate to the whole of the outside - of a human being
is this so?
earlier I suggested a monad model of consciousness
that the outside of the world - has mind points in it
could the same argument be made in relation to the body
that the inside is not co-extensive with the outside -
is rather a point - within?
OK
how would this relate to the brain
the mind is the inside of the brain
the brain as two dimensional -
I understand this is getting closer to the common view
(if there is such a thing)
but for me the question why?
why take such a view?
the obvious argument
brain damage effects directly the functioning of consciousness
OK
but perhaps this is an unexpected clue -
the functioning of consciousness
the idea being that the brain is consciousness as a function
that awareness requires the brain - for its functioning
the brain is awareness functioning
awareness - out there?
