the reflexivity of consciousness
where do we begin?
the mind sees -
but only on reflection can we begin to speak of knowledge -
(even if we say what is seen pre-reflection is knowledge)
and reflection -
what is it we reflect on?
if the initial position is pre-reflective -
'awareness of awareness' is?
reflection on reflection?
still I wonder if it makes sense to speak of an initial
position that is pre-reflective?
is not such a suggestion artificial?
is not all awareness - 'awareness of the object of awareness'
and 'awareness of the awareness'?
can there be one without the other?
can we know - without knowing that we know?
granted the 'knowing that we know' may not be the focus
though it could be
so I am suggesting mind is just this - reflexivity
mind is this relation
the knowing that you know
self awareness - is perhaps a better way to put it
but 'reflexivity' is the sharpest
mind - on this view is a particular relation -
a unique relation
I want to say 'relation' here to really sidestep - (solve?)
- the traditional arguments here - that all centre around
substance - i.e. - mind as matter - mind as a non-material
substance - mind as some variation of both
the substance question - is something we need to move on from
all this needs to be fleshed out and thought out in some detail
I just want to make some initial points - forays if you will -
it seems we can only really talk about reflexivity in relation
to consciousness -
consciousness is such that we can speak about it - from the
inside - as if - it is an objective reality
it is not - but in so far as it 'holds' the world we naturally
accord it a quasi- objectivity
the fact that we can speak of consciousness in an objective
way is simply a function of consciousness' reflective capacity
and this is a little off my point
I want to say the relation of reflexivity can only be stated -
come into being in consciousness
it makes no sense to speak of it existing outside of consciousness
it is consciousness
