BBC Horizon :The Secret You

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A mathematician sets out on a quest to understand consciousness.

"With the help of a hammer-wielding scientist, Jennifer Aniston and a general anaesthetic, Professor Marcus du Sautoy goes in search of answers to one of science
 
At some point I may actually watch this video, but not right now. I don't have an extra hour this morning.

But I do want to comment that they probably did not mention that neuroscientists have no idea how you get from brain function to consciousness. When you get down to brass tacks, subatomic particles are subject to the four forces and the most they can create is an electromagnetic field. All emergent properties are simply more complicated versions of this. Consciousness though, is not an electromagnetic field. It is something completely without material substance. An idea is not an electromagnetic field. It may be that electromagnetic fields carry ideas, but they are not the ideas themselves. Long story short, consciousness cannot possibly arise out of brain activity. That would be magic. Something else is in play.
 
[MENTION=5084]Craig Weiler[/MENTION]
It's definitely trying to tackle the whole problem from a neurological materialistic point of view trying to reduce consciousness to neurons firing. To me it was just fun to watch how they went about investigating it and where science is with the subject at present moment. ;D I don't think neurons firing is really a satisfying answer...but the documentary has plastic helmets and cyber goggles. I'm also a sucker for blinky things...:)
 
If you can find it somewhere you may like "marcus and alan go forth and multiply" a very good documentary about maths and more.
 
Thanks for the suggestion @ James :)
[MENTION=4137]technics[/MENTION] There's nothing bad about it. It's just not an adequate explanation if you want to understand consciousness. I think it was well reflected in the end conclusion. The poor guy looked like he was expecting to get a cake and got a stale bun instead. ...you know... It's not enough of an explanation. It feels lacking. It's like describing Shakespear's work as a system of signs that convey information to the recipient. It may be true but is it adequate? :)
 
...I've been sick with the influenza for a week now. It may have impaired the functioning of my funnybone. I hope I don't need a transplant. :m197:
 
Cool doco. I love the presenter and his openess to experience. Putting yourself under anasthetic for the good of science is just awesome. The virtual reality stuff was cool as well. So much we dont undertand about the nature of conciousness and experience. Its all in the mind- I swear it!

In regards to animal conciosuness- Ive seen compelling evidence to suggest that dolphins and self aware and highly intelligent. And never again will I go to sea world or any of those disgusting slave prisons to see those majestic creatures. Cats also have a fairly thick cerebral cortex. I am postively sure that cats are conscious and self aware. Dogs have a thinner cerebral cortex but thick enough to posit that they too may be aware and conscious. I dont know enough about other animals
 
Asarya said:
I am postively sure that cats are conscious and self aware. Dogs have a thinner cerebral cortex but thick enough to posit that they too may be aware and conscious.
Click to expand...

After my mom brushed my dog's teeth (her breath was pretty rank), the dog went and pissed on my mom's bed. She's also taken a dump on the kitchen table a couple times. She totally does these things out of spite. She knows what's going on. :P
 
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