Philosophy
Q: When do we first become aware of ourselves? Experiment 1
(mirror self-recognition test).Empiricism counter
Procedures: 1) Get a child in front of a mirror and let him look
at his/her self for second. 2) Put a mark on his/her face and let
him/her look at him/her self again in the mirror.Observations: 1)
18 months child is not able to recognize that the one in the mirror
is him/her self. 2) A 22 months child is able to recognize him/her
self and touched this mark on his own face Conclusion From 18-24
month is the age when we become self-aware
Note: chimpanzee has passed the test.
Q : what part of the brain needs to be active in order to me to
be active ?Experiment 2 Procedures:1) they injected the
experimenter with an Anesthestatic drug (that causes temporary
state consisting of unconsciousness , loss of memory , lack of pain
and muscle relaxation) rationalism counter
2) They asked the experimenter to think about playing tennis.
Observations: 1) The experimenter starts from awareness to be
unconscious gradually until he is completely unconscious and the
brain activity stops. Conclusion: All the brain functionalities
stops however the consciousness still exists until a defeats occurs
to (cerebral cortex) _ a main part of the brain_. The consciousness
starts to collapse.
Note: all Anesthestatic drugs make some defeats in the thalamus
which cause loss of consciousness.
Q: Could consciousness be separated from the body by illusion???
Experiment 3 Procedures:1) Putting a goggles on the eyes that
displays a camera scene behind the experimenter (shows his back).2)
You observe as you are setting behind yourself 3 m away.
Observations:1) If somebody hits your chest while pretending that
he is hitting your chest. Youll be convinced that he is hitting
you. 2) Even if he tries to hit you with a hummer in front of the
camera. youll shake as if somebody is about to hit you with a
hummer in reality Conclusion:Sensing of yourself is just an
illusion created by our brains depending on data came from our
sense organs. So changing these data could make someone feels he is
in another body
Experiment 4 Procedures: 1) Scientists are able to get the
electric pulses of a specific neurons, amplifying them and even
hear them.Observations: 1) It was found that some neurons only
respond to very specific situations like seeing a picture of an
actor (or anybody you love) 2) Even that these neurons respond to
the name of this actor the same way they have responded to the
photo although the huge difference between the shape of the photo
and the letters of the name. Conclusion: Every single image you
see, there is a neuron firing up in your brain correlated to this
image.
Theory: a single neuron doesnt represent the consciousness but
the collection of neurons together make the consciousness.
Q: what exactly happens when we are asleep (unconscious?)
Experiment 5 Procedures: 1) Wearing a helmet with microphones
implanted in it ( listen to the neurons ) 2) Using (TMS)
(Transracial magnetic stimulation) _stimulate neurons by sending
pulses ; and the reaction of neurons is measured by the
microphones) Observations: 1) Conscious person : affecting a
specific area will cause another many areas to respond
simultaneously 2) Asleep person: only the exposed area of the brain
reacts to the stimuli (the cerebral cortex).
Conclusion: Consciousness is due to integration (communication)
between different neurons throughout the brain.
Q: what exactly takes a decision (me) or (my neurons) what is
free will??
Experiment 6 Materialism counter
Procedures:
1) The experimenter has two buttons (he has the choice to push
one of them) meanwhile, a scanner is scanning his brain and
computer detects when exactly he pushed the button. Observations:
1) Up to 6 seconds before the person makes a decision. the brain
has already made the decision Conclusion: 1) Conscious decision is
a secondary stage of brain activity. 2) There is unconscious brain
taking the lead of the decision and then comes the conscious
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