consciousness is a dimension - of a two dimensional entity
the mind is the internal dimension of a physical entity
this world is two dimensional
that I know myself - is just to say consciousness reflects - reflects on itself
I think therefore I am - is a mistaken characterization of the operation of reflection
awareness is this reflection -
(awareness in this entity
by this entity I mean a point in space time - from the point of view of this
point -
a point of view that has objectivity - space-time position - given other
points of view
and also given in general other positions in space-time -
space-time entails the possibility - of such -
without this possibility - no space-time
which is absurd - therefore the conclusion
that is we can conceive space-time without points of view
without consciousness
and if so - we can conceive non-observed positions of space-time)
or this reflection is the basis of all reflection -
the outside is the limit of consciousness
the physical world is the limit of the mind
that is the mind is within - within the physical
but I am not suggesting that it is physical -
the physical is the external dimension
or the outside is physical - we describe it so
but the outside of what?
of that which the mind is the internal dimension of
and this is?
what can you say here?
is there a description of the unity?
this unity that is two dimensional
mind and matter - as they are referred to in substance theories -
are dimension of
existence
of what is
existence therefore is two dimensional
(and I see no reason at all to go the way of Spinoza here - and call for
an infinity of dimensions - there is nothing to be gained by this)
so the mind is what happens internally - we can further characterize this
by saying it is awareness
the body - what happens on the outside - non-awareness
this entity
faces the world as a unity
not as distinct dimensions
the world affects this unity - as a unity
and the surface of the body affects the world - the physical outside of itself
and consciousness here?
is the world outside the body - just more of the same - a physical expanse
and nothing more?
the answer is no
within the physical dimension - this outside (of the outside of body) -
are centres of consciousness - physical forms -
other conscious entities - other animals
we see a connection between outside entities and states
they are of the same kind - they are connected -
we can i.e. - describe the dynamic in terms of cause and effect -
what though of the inside?
and inside entities -
or the insides of entities?
could they be connected in a similar way to the way external forms are
connected in the external dimension?
directly?
what has to be the case for this to be the case?
that is for consciousnesses to be aware directly of other consciousnesses?
that is - not as is commonly thought - via the body - and thus indirectly?
my recognition of another consciousness is direct isn't it?
do I infer - I wonder?
you tend to be forced into an inference argument because of the body -
the idea that we know consciousness via the body -
the inside known via the outside
I think not
I run with Descartes at least on this point
that the inside is aware of the inside - directly
OK
so why not just universalize this argument?
that is I am not just talking about myself here
forget self
the question is rather of dimensions -
the inside - recognizes the inside - directly?
lots of issues here
one - I have been thinking of consciousness - as monad like
centres within -
an outside - that is without centre - that is simply extended
that is the idea that not all of the outside has an inside
can we speak here of an inside -
or is it rather insides?
it's a bit lopsided I know - some what skew-whiff
might be of interest to quantum physicists
on the other hand - the co-extensive version -
that there is an inside that is co-extensive with the outside
a sort of Spinozistic position
does seem to commit to pan-consciousness
perhaps not pan-self-consciousness - but consciousness of some kind
logically neat - but do we want to go there?
so
what's my argument against such a view?
that it doesn't seem to me that rocks have consciousness?
yes - this is so
but on what do I base this view?
observation?
yes - finally
how do I know that I have consciousness?
observation?
no
my knowledge of consciousness is?
- given in consciousness
consciousness is self asserting -
so do we have to give the rock the benefit of the doubt?
is consciousness sleeping out there?
and this what - some evolutionary theory?
I think Daniel Dennett goes down this path
