Is Mental Activity Consciousness?

In my last blog, I wrote again about the importance of getting to know the self. Why is this so important? Because, it has to do with personal Consciousness.

Last night, I watched a short video presentation by Dan Dennett, a modern Western Philosopher, who considers himself a Philosopher of Consciousness. He indicated that other modern Philosophers look down on him with scorn, because they believe there is no such thing as, "human consciousness."

In his presentation, he quoted an idea of another modern Philosopher, to the effect that, "All philosophy is based on rational arguments." Professor Dennett then went on to explain that, in actuality, what people consider to be their Consciousness is a "bag of tricks." (If you wish, you may view his talk here: http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=q44nv9ecn0)

This came as little surprise to me. I also consider myself a modern Philosopher, and, based on this little video, have decided that I am also a Philosopher of Consciousness. I, however, do believe that there is such a thing as human consciousness; that it is real, and that it is achievable. That modern Philosophy, as all other forms of modern Scholarship, is an outgrowth of the ideal of rational/scientific thought has been obvious to me since I began to understand the role Programming and Indoctrination play in all of our lives and our resultant lack of true Consciousness.

Professor Dennett went on to explain and demonstrate, with examples, why in actuality humans are not capable of consciousness, but are, rather, a vehicle animated by hundreds-of-trillion of robotic cells, which themselves do not have consciousness either. (Another example of, "the blind leading the blind" which are rampant in this modern-day world!)

According to Professor Dennett, what humans consider to be consciousness is only made up of strong opinions on anything and everything about which they have no expertise, i.e., accurate knowledge. And, additionally, that everyone believes him/herself to be an authority on their own consciousness. Unfortunately, this is true of the vast majority of "modern" humans.

As an example of brain activity, (equated by him and other, modern "thinkers" with consciousness), he gives that, when the human brain is presented with something or other, it goes off into a stream-of-consciousness, rather than information processing.

Unfortunately, this is actually, relatively, true about the average human brain/mind. When presented with: a new idea, individual, image-of-something, experience, etc., etc., it proceeds to go off into an uncontrolled stream-of-consciousness about whatever it has been presented with, rather than evaluate whatever it has experienced as a new thing, unique to itself. Much of this stream is made up of our Belief System's contents.

There have been some individuals who have come to realize that they cannot even see/remember whatever new thing it was that they had encountered, because of this how-the-brain-functions problem.

Most modern, Western and other, humans' Awareness Systems are being continually bombarded with self-inflicted, and otherwise, stimuli from morning until they go to bed at night. This is true, "in Spades" of the, "younger" generation. Do not think this is, "accidental," or a byproduct of modern life, it is not.

I have named the human ability to feel, see, observe, experience and remember, the "Human Awareness System." While this System is incapable of being overwhelmed, it is certainly being kept occupied with our continual bombardment of it with constant irrelevant input.

Those scientists and others, who purport to think about the human brain's functioning, even Philosophers, pay no attention to this major aspect of human existence, primarily, because it is not considered an aspect at all. In actuality, it is there that true Consciousness resides! By removing oneself from outside distractions, to any degree, one can begin to tune in to this major System of awareness and memories.

Having failed to recognize the existence of the Human Awareness System as a major, if not the most important, part of human existence, it has been possible to hoodwink humans into believing that the brain is the, "seat of consciousness." As a result there is the "Scientific" squabble about whether there is such a thing as mind, as opposed to the brain, at all. It is my opinion that that which has been called, "mind" is in actuality an aspect of the Human Awareness System.

With that I end today's blog.

Shirley Gallup