Second hand emotions and human consciousness

by Terry 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  ProdigalSon

  scotoma: Consciousness is an unfinished term. It needs the additional word "of". Consciousness always has content. ....Consciousness OF ...

  Not really. This is the illusion of separation. How can one be conscious of anything without consciousness itself?

  Then, is there a difference between human and animal consiousness? Can an animal consiously observe himself being conscious? In other words, can an animal be self-conscious?

  Consciousness, according to the Mystics and the Occultists, is synonymous with "Soul" and "God". There is consciousness in every single atom and also in every mental construct. Rather than being independent of each other, thoughts and "reality" are intricately connected.
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  scotoma

  Prodigal Son:

  Self-conscious can be semantically rephrased conscious OF self. In other words the content of self consciousness is SELF.

  This appears to be a trait that is on an evolutionary continuum. If you paint a White dot on a Chimps head while its sleeping it will notice it when it looks in the mirror. It doesn't try to touch the mirror. Instead it sees the dot and picks at it with his finger on his own head - NOT on the reflection.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_test