While alive, are we always conscious?

Is the mind the same as the body? What is consciousness? Can machines have it?

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Philosophy Explorer
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While alive, are we always conscious?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

When do we lose consciousness? E.g. is lucid dreaming consciousness? What about the hypnotic state? Or a coma? Dreaming? Are there degrees of consciousness?

Here's an article:

http://m.livescience.com/52876-why-do-w ... reams.html

PhilX
wtf
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Re: While alive, are we always conscious?

Post by wtf »

If you've ever been under general anesthesia you wouldn't ask the question.
Philosophy Explorer
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Re: While alive, are we always conscious?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

I'm going to try to create confusion while exploring this topic.

What if we have someone who has a multipersonality? If you ever seen (or read) The Three Faces of Eve, you'll know that one of the personalities was unawares of the others while another was aware of the first. This would be a situation to ask if that unaware personality was conscious?

As for being anesthetized goes, there is a mechanism that would snap me out of that state so I must be partially conscious. So there is a link to my surroundings.

PhilX
wtf
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Re: While alive, are we always conscious?

Post by wtf »

Philosophy Explorer wrote: As for being anesthetized goes, there is a mechanism that would snap me out of that state so I must be partially conscious. So there is a link to my surroundings.
I see you've never been in that state and perhaps haven't given the matter much thought.

In any event, here's an article about what anesthesiologists know about conciousness. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/magaz ... sness.html
clueless
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Re: While alive, are we always conscious?

Post by clueless »

Philosophy Explorer wrote:I'm going to try to create confusion while exploring this topic.

What if we have someone who has a multipersonality? If you ever seen (or read) The Three Faces of Eve, you'll know that one of the personalities was unawares of the others while another was aware of the first. Is this a situation to ask if that unaware personality was conscious?

As for being anesthetized goes, there is a mechanism that would snap me out of that state so I must be partially conscious. So there is a link to my surroundings.

PhilX
Is a personality ever conscious? One's personality is the totality of one's behavioral and emotional characteristics (traits). Should the question be: In the case of dissociative identity disorder, is the person (the "self") identified as the host personality (the self that is not aware of the other selves) conscious?

How could one determine that the host was unaware of the alternative selves if the host weren't conscious during questioning? Do multiple personalities appear together?

What is the mechanism that would snap you (the cortex) out of that anesthetized state? When the cortex is switched off, it's not conscious. How does the anesthetized state differ from a medically induced coma?
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Hobbes' Choice
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Re: While alive, are we always conscious?

Post by Hobbes' Choice »

Philosophy Explorer wrote:I'm going to try to create confusion while exploring this topic.

PhilX
You don't need help from anyone else!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Hobbes' Choice
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Re: While alive, are we always conscious?

Post by Hobbes' Choice »

Philosophy Explorer wrote:I'm going to try to create confusion while exploring this topic.

What if we have someone who has a multipersonality? If you ever seen (or read) The Three Faces of Eve, you'll know that one of the personalities was unawares of the others while another was aware of the first. This would be a situation to ask if that unaware personality was conscious?

As for being anesthetized goes, there is a mechanism that would snap me out of that state so I must be partially conscious. So there is a link to my surroundings.

PhilX
Please be aware that this film has been widely and thoroughly discredited, and the testimony of the woman upon who, the film was based has been demonstrated to be false.
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