Zhiren(Isaac) Zheng
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Post by Zhiren(Isaac) Zheng on Jul 12, 2015 22:08:18 GMT
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave? Starting with the effect of theory of evolution on our physical appearance, we will then link it to the influence on human beings behave. Natural selection is the key of evolution. The variation of DNA provides the chances for species to survive different kind of environment. However, as it says, "evolution by natural selection isn't so much about “fittest” or “strongest” or “best,” but rather as contingently successful"( The DNA of consciousness 11). Therefore, it is more about the odds instead of ability. Every new born creature has proved that its "unique genome has some fundamental traits that have led to" the birth(The DNA of consciousness 14). The success of the genome concerns more about the traits rather than "whether something is a defined species or not" (The DNA of consciousness 15). The physical existence of DNA gives us the chance to trace back our evolution. However, it also shows the evolution of our consciousness. Again, natural selection is about whether we can survive long enough to pass our genome to our offspring. A consciousness where we can image different scenario with any physical harm and real consequence enables us to think of a series of action and pick the one will probably help us the most. In other words, consciousness let us be ahead of the game and have a better chance to survive chance contingencies. However, a mistaken simulation will also result in death. Here comes our second order consciousness. "Second nature is our ability to absorb such information and have the wherewithal to reconstruct models of varying probabilities about what this information means" (The DNA of consciousness 30). This not only allows us to simulate the reality, but also let us to analyze the situation. It "allow for better odds in our ultimate reactions to whatever stimuli or information we encounter" (The DNA of consciousness 30). That is saying our behave depends on what our simulations are and which option we choose to act on. An understanding of the evolution of our consciousness and awareness will, therefore, help us to understand human beings behave. 2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer? Evolutionary theory explains why we look the way we do and why we think the way we do, but it cannot answer the mastery on our motivation. Even though we now have an understanding of the first and second order of consciousness and how they work together for the sake of our survival. But we have little understanding why we have our emotions. And how our consciousness is generated from the physical component of our brains. If we consider consciousness "as a virtual simulator with an amplified probability feedback loop" (The DNA of consciousness 41). Then why do we have our different kind of feelings? Do they also play a role in our evolution? Are they necessary for our survival? Are we really " a bundle of neurons and nerve endings tied to together in a huge neural complex that gives rises to consciousness" (The DNA of consciousness 41)? If there is no soul, why do we have such different personality from each other? How would we understand the word "self"? Week 3, Question 1: Firstly, this is because the 'programming' of humans is directly related to human behavior and theory of evolution is necessary to understand the 'programming'. You could say that by applying the theory of evolution to humans we can understand human behavior because it is the 'key' to our genetic codes which contain the instructions (and are therefore the answer) for our behavior. Secondly it is because our current behaviors are the result of countless mistakes, corrections, adaptations and successes ('Natural Selection automatically conserves whatever has worked up to now' - The Magic of Evolution) . Hence, to understand our current behaviors, it is first necessary to analyze and understand what went into creating these behaviors and the theory of evolution is one of the, if not the only, guide to doing so. By following the theory of evolution, we can accurately interpret past influences and responses and from that draw a correct explanation for human behavior that would help the human race come into their full potential and further progress themselves. Week 3, Question 2: There are many questions that I do not think the theory of evolution cannot answer. For instance, it wold be unlikely that the theory of evolution can answer question that are being created just now. For instance, metaphysical concepts like 'What is Time?' which cannot be analyzed using the principles of the theory of evolution. It is arguable, of course, that the theory of evolution is is directly related to the passage of time and the changes that occur during that passage but it is notable that one can only observe, find and record the effects of time and not its nature or cause(s) if indeed it has one (or several). The theory of evolution also cannot answer questions about origin. 'What is the origin of life?' is good example of this. The theory of evolution is based on observed facts and confirmed conclusions which are based on the certainty of facts. It cannot therefore answer questions about what came before such facts even existed. I found it very interesting that the writer use an analogy of programming to describe the human behavior. My understanding of this response is that our behavior is determined by the genome and these genome are the result from the past. I think I can look at it in this way. If we want to study an historical architecture, we need to first understand when it was built and learn about the history of that period so that we can understand why it was presented in this way. In order to understand our behavior, we need to look back to our history, which is theory of evolution. By learning how natural selection impact on our genome, we can have a better idea how these genome further determine our behavior. |
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Post by jmagallon on Jul 12, 2015 23:39:50 GMT
WEEK #3
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
To know how humans behave is important in understanding where we came from, how we live, and where we are heading; by knowing the past we will know how we have and continue to survive in the present (Lane 7). As mentioned in the YouTube video “Evolution Explained in Four Minutes” by neuralsurfer, the theory of evolution can be best summed up in the acronym, “VISITED.” Which stands for variation, inheritance, selection, and including: time, equals, and design. Human behavior is in essence survival. We have evolved to survive and continue to do so by passing our genetic code onto our offspring. Along the way there was specific evolutionary traits that has given us the upper hand to survive. One of the most important traits is consciousness. Think of consciousness as a virtual simulator that allows us to think through before we act upon decisions, and in doing so one can prevent harm thus extending our survival (Lane 20). One example of consciousness is asking “Why,” and in doing so we can break down simulations and developed the best strategy to come out a winner (Lane 30). The human mind is one of the most interesting things in existence, and to understand how it has evolved will aid us in where it will continue to go.
Source: The DNA of Consciousness by Professor Andrea Diem-Lane, Ph.D.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
In the YouTube video “The Darwin-Wallace Debate” by neuralsurfer, Wallace believes that human consciousness is to complex that it cannot be explained by the theory of evolution. How could it be that consciousness arose from unconscious molecules? It has to have an origin that was created by another force. Darwin on the other hand did not agree with this believe and stated that understanding matter was sufficient to explain the mysteries of consciousness. He as well mentioned that in the years to come the study of psychology would help us better understand the origin of consciousness. The theory of evolution may not help explain the specifics and origins of consciousness, thus a more tailored method must be used to study it. In doing so one can dive deeper into the thought process of why it is that one person acts the way they do under certain conditions and why someone will act differently under the same conditions.
Source: The Darwin-Wallace Debate by Professor David Christopher Lane (A.K.A neuralsurfer)
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Post by Tyler Van Voorhis on Jul 13, 2015 2:18:27 GMT
Week 3 Tyler Van Voorhis 1) Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave? The theory of evolution and natural selection led us to the discoveries of how humans behave. Evolution is the process of how species or plants have developed and changed throughout thousands of years to either become extinct or continue to survive. It shows how one reacts with another in any sort of life form. The process so intertwined with one another that it is a never ending system of life. Humans can compare the same as we have changed throughout the years in many different ways. “Knowing the conditions from where we originally arose is a central key in understanding why we survive as we do in the present”. ( DNA Consciousness Book) If we can understand the original conditions of survival and how we have adapted to make it to present day, then that will help understanding the behavior and how we overcome different situations along the way. As stated by Darwin, “evolution by natural selection isn’t so much about the “fittest”, or “strongest”, or “best,” but rather as contigently successful.” (DNA Consciousness Book) That is because what is contingent in one environment may not be the best in another. Human behavior has had its own evolutionary process with the environment and conscious behavior due to the question why. Why we act and think like we do will forever push the discovery and theory of evolution and natural selection. 2) Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer? The evolution theory cannot answer or explain the behavior and capability of human consciousness. The movie “Pivotal Consciousness” talked about asking the question why and by doing that how it opens a vast selection of answers, predictions, questions, etc. The theory of evolution makes sense in the way we have adapted and changed throughout the years but it cannot explain the question why. Like Darwin, I do believe matter is made of “3 glorious pounds of meat”, but that there is a higher force that brings light to human consciousness. I think our consciousness is made up from our experiences seen throughout life. The things you experience will evolve the way you consciously behave. EXTRA CREDIT Week 3- Biological Philosophy and Evolutionary Thinking 1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave? - The theory of evolution proves to be so important in understanding how human beings behave for a number of reasons. First of all, the theory of evolution helps us understand how we humans and other animals’ behavior has developed overtime. Species are always in competition with each other in order to survive. This competition of “The survival of the fittest” creates new adaptations within a species that is then passed on to newer generations for a better chance of survival. According to the text, The DNA of consciousness, it suggest that having the ability to think and strategize events and scenarios has contributed to how humans behave and survive. In fact, the book states, “For conscious animals enjoy the advantage of being able to think about alternative actions and select behavior they believe will get them what they want or help them avoid what they dislike or fear” (DNA 30). This suggest that the development of our conscious awareness through evolution has significant role on how humans behave. In conclusion, the theory of evolution has a huge impact on human behavior as favored behaviors became more dominant, it is the unwanted behaviors that gradually fade away. 2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer? - Having read the assigned reading, there are indeed a number of questions that I feel the evolutionary theory cannot answer. One question that is difficult to answer is are does consciousness appear in all species. This is difficult to discover as all animals do not show similar signs of conscious awareness. The book suggest that only certain species are conscious and can make sense of their surroundings (DNA 35). Another difficult question to answer is why some species developed a consciousness. Some may say it was to increase our rate of survival, but why do humans seem to have a conscious awareness that appears to be more superior to those of other species. What is so special about the human brain that it is able to construct thoughts and ideas at a much more sophisticated level than other species? These are just a few questions that I believe evolutionary theory cannot answer. Your question about why some species develop a consciousness and some don't was very interesting. It is fascinating how one species develops such characteristics that another could never know. The capability of the human mind is astronomical compared to much more complex animals. The brains ability to create and imagine ideas, like you said, is much more superior to the conscious brain of other species. |
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Post by kevinhuo on Jul 13, 2015 4:54:30 GMT
Week 3 Questions
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave? 2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
Human behaviour can only be determined by the thought patterns and processes that occur within the mind. These behaviours and habits are partly dependent on the DNA within the body. The theory of evolution dictates that the evolution is the process in which the individuals within a species have a certain habitual process or a trait that enables them to pass their genes down. Therefore, the genes that reside within are passed down from prior generations. These genes dictate part of our choices because of the results from the genes. “Natural selection automatically conserves whatever has worked up to now.” - Daniel Dennet, Tufts University. Certain questions cannot be answered by the evolutionary theory. There are actually a number of things that cannot be explained. The evolutionary theory cannot answer how life was started. Certain components on Earth was necessary in order for life to first occur. Although the components of life were available, it is unknown as to what enabled the components of the first life to come together and for the first organism. The theory of evolution also cannot answer the worth of a life. I believe the most cruel component of life is that life is limited. Human life particularly is excessively savage. Why is the potential that resides in each individual limited to only a certain amount of years? The creativity and the imagination that resides within the mind is restricted to the amount of time that is allocated to the individual.
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Post by nadinerichards on Jul 13, 2015 5:24:53 GMT
Week 3 Questions
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
Evolution not only can reaveal the answers to why we are how we are physically, but also mentally. We have evolved to walk on both legs, to use tools, and we have also over time formed the ability to have complex thoughts that allow us to think before we act. Evolution and natural selection seem to play a role in human consciousness, which has allowed humans to be successful and thrive. Consciousness has given humans an advantage over their competitors, by allowing dissociation. It is an advantage because "it can play out (via its internal machinations... what we call imagination/daydreaming) without physical harm alternative scenarios."(p.20) By being able to play out scenario's in out heads, we are more likely to act best to our advantage. Consciousness is a result of evolution as "any reproducing DNA that can develop a virtual simulator within itself has a huge advantage over a genetic strand that cannot".(p.21)
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
One of the questions the evolutionary theory doesn't explain is suicide, and what is our purpose? Evolution is about surviving long enough to pass on your genes. We are constantly adapting and undergoing "severe testing...to see how certain adaptations are better suited than others."(p.6) Humans have had to evolve to keep up with changes in the environment, but what is the final goal? Humans search for purpose in belief systems to drive them to keep living. This is because "we don't want to be just three glorious pounds of meat."(p. 34) All humans are competing to pass on their own genes, but how does suicide fit in, and is that our only purpose?
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Post by marie ashley siy on Jul 13, 2015 6:05:33 GMT
WEEK 3 QUESTIONS
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
"Every strand of DNA contains a unique history of its journey and what must have transpired to shape it into its present incarnation." (Lane 7) This quote is so important to why evolution is so crucial to understanding what makes humans, humans through biology and mind. What really makes a human, human? It isn't just phenotype but it of course is genotype. In the video "The Genetic Connection" we also have similar DNA with rice/rhinos/coral/bananas through a common ancestor, through a vast, wonderful journey we were able to set our differences from plants and animals. Humanity has come a long way from home and, mankind has a wide and extensive history, a history that was only able to happen because of evolution. Evolution is what gave humans and animals a vast distinction. We were able to set apart ourselves from the beasts through our behavior. Our consciousness is what helps us understand everything such as evolution and behavior. Why don't we act like animals? It is because of our consciousness gained through evolution. As humans we always want to learn more about ourselves and about the world around and with that comes curiosity. Our voracious appetite to learn and endless curiosity helped us divulge the theory of evolution.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
I believe that the evolutionary theory cannot answer quite a few things, like it cannot explain our human nature. Sure it can explain fight or flight but humanity itself has a lot more than that to explain. Why do we have this free will? What caused us to be like this? The evolutionary theory cannot explain why we have different personalities. No two people are alike on this planet. Genetically and mentally we are all different yet so similar. In our tastes and preferences in music, food and people why are those so different? How can two people look so identical but react differently to a stimulus? Personalities and preferences could be similar but they are never the same. Through the billions of people living on this planet there hasn't ever been two people completely alike, sharing the same fates and personalities. The evolutionary theory cannot explain our differences in our own unique natures.
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Post by ggonzalez170 on Jul 13, 2015 7:06:51 GMT
WEEK THREE: Biological Philosophy and Evolutionary Thinking
TWO REQUIRED ESSAY QUESTIONS:
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
Evolution is important because it is the continuation of ancestors. The ones that survive are not the strongest or the best but the person that have better conditions. In the movie “The Magic of Evolution : “Daniel Dennett’s Card Trick Analogy” Professor Daniel Dennett says: “Natural selection automatically conserves whatever has worked up to know”. It is important that we understand that we are here because our ancestors survived and continued the reproduction. While watching another movie I learned that natural selection is still going on in present time. In present time I have seen that humans are eliminated in present times. They can be killed during a natural disaster like earthquakes, or viruses like HIV. In the video “The Genius of Charles Darwin Part 1 Life, Darwin and everything” by The Science Foundation I saw a woman that is immune to HIV. Salome Simon is a woman that works as a prostitute in Nairobi, Kenya who has survived many friends that have died because they acquired HIV and AIDS. It seems that this woman is immune to the virus and she must have received this immunity due to her genes. In the video there are discussions that these women will eventually pass this on to their children. I would have never imagined that there are people in the world that have immunity to HIV. In this case I think that eventually the people that will survive in Kenya will be the people with the immunity to HIV. Natural selection will be the survivors to the HIV and the AIDS that is often seen in Nairobi, Kenya. In the book I read “The DNA of Consciousness A Brief Introduction to Evolutionary Philosophy” Professor Andrea Diem-Lane, Ph.D. Says: “All of this competition has led to a natural “editing” of what we see today”(7). I understand that the people that are here today have survived and are the edited version of their ancestors. They are the new and improved edition to the ancestors before them. If humans improve the conditions that they live in and have an improved version to what ancestor lived they will most likely survive and keep on procreating and their family will survive. Human beings are reproducing and are passing on their genes to their children. Humans find a partner they mate and reproduce. In the year 1963 a connection with pheromones was made in humans. These are the hormones that humans have and are in a sense responsible for attraction between humans. Professor Andrea Diem-Lane, Ph.D. says: “Furthermore, Wilson explores the link between genetic evolution and cultural evolution, from genes to neural, mental development to mind to culture” (59). I think that humans act and behave the way that they behave because of their surroundings and the way the way they were brought up. Our story will continue as it was said in the beginning of the book we are a book with a story and our children will become the new versions. Hopefully we will pass on the genes to create people that behave and think much better than we did.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
I don’t think that evolution can answer how morality, ethics and religion will become in the future. People have a belief that god is responsible for many things that are going on in a person’s life. Like I mentioned in the previous question with Salome Simon even though she lives in a place that has a lot of poverty and people that are ill, she still believed that god had been good to her because she was immune to HIV. The evolutionary theory cannot answer the beliefs people will have. People have emotions with other life and love to live people want to be involved with others but we don’t know if the same involvement will exist in the future.
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Post by Courtney on Jul 17, 2015 4:04:18 GMT
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
The virtual stimulation theory of consciousness basically states that what we see is not real, but instead an illusion. In one of the other readings, it stated something about we can only believe what we see, but in the three cases presented in the video, “The Disneyland of Consciousness: Exploring the Animatronic Image” as well as the six (three are also in the video) examples given in the chapter “The Disneyland of Consciousness” that is not true, because our minds can be deceived. We are given three examples of our mind deceiving us. The first was about an audio-animatronic devices of Abraham Lincoln, an older lady asked an usher if she could have the actor’s autograph, because she believed it was real- after all she seen it with her own eyes, except it was not real. It was a machine. The second example was of Professor David Lane going on the Pirates of The Caribbean ride, he was convinced one of the audio-animatronic pirates was real, then he later realized it was the lighting that led him to believe the pirate was indeed a machine. The third example given in the video was in the Haunted Mansion ride, one of the Professor’s friends thought the head inside of a crystal ball was real, because he seen it, he also underestimated the holographic technology of that time, but still, he could not believe it was not real, because it looked so real.
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
The brain tricks us for many reasons, the “Cerebral Mirage the Deceptive Nature of a Wareness,” says, “the brain tricks us into believing something to be real when it is not, with a survival advantage” meaning the brain helps us to live longer. One of the examples given in the book is our brain can show us a message during a near death experience, which has been said to wake a dying patient up. On page 10, it says, “NDE may have much more to do with keeping one alive than some purported visions of the afterlife.” It is then supported by “it may well be that whenever the body-brain is under severe stress… consciousness elicits an ultimatum package of patterned meanings, drawn specifically from one’s own unique biographical/ psychological history, to encourage one to live and resist dying.” The book also says “the world we perceive around us is not as it appears” meaning, the way we see things is not correct, there is a whole other reason behind why we see what we see. One of the examples given was the colors we see. The actual object is not necessarily that color, “but how different light waves get absorbed and refracted. The colors we see are due to the spectral properties of light.”
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Post by Gajinda Fonseka on Jul 18, 2015 12:35:39 GMT
Week 4, Question 1:
The virtual simulation theory of consciousness is a theory that basically postulates that what we see is not real but merely simulated images that our brain provides us with. In other words, we do not 'see' the world but the 'show' that our brains interpret it as. Phones are used as an example of this - we play games and use apps on our forms everyday bit we have no idea how it really works. We see moving pictures and colorful texts but their real forms are binary numbers and programming codes. Similar to this , we see the world as interpretations of the information our senses send us but not the actual information itself. What we see is a virtual simulation - the illusion that is created from the information received. Our conscious mind has therefore had the metaphorical wool pulled over its eyes and is seeing an illusion that is played for us by our brains.
Week 4, Question 2:
The brain tricks us by making us experience events and view images that are either not real or half real in order to increase or salvage our chances of survival. For example, in the book 'Cerebral Mirage: The Deceptive Nature of Awareness' discusses the effects of near death experiences or NDE's, where a person under great stress most often on the verge of death experiences flashbacks or sees an images or a series of images to increase or salvage the person's chances of survival. This is borne out by a statement from page 18 of the book 'Cerebral Mirage': "There is, in fact, one common denominator among all those who report NDE's: they didn't die.", thereby allowing the person or people to live on and pass on their genes. This trickery of the brain is not necessarily constrained to one time things - the brain can also be said maintains a form of continuous trickery. An example is the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
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Post by Tyler Van Voorhis on Jul 19, 2015 20:48:02 GMT
Week 3
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
The simulation theory of consciousness is best described as the explanation for dreams. “The reality we experience is part and parcel a simulation and may or may not correlate externally from ourselves.” (Is the Universe an App? pg 106) We know the brain is a simulator because of daydreaming. It’s a hallucination from the brain that occurs with or without us knowing or why we are doing it. “Consciousness is a fantastic virtual simulator because of its inclusity and insular engineering it has an inherent tendency to believe its own machinations as exterior to itself and not as the byproduct of its own interiority.” Many times our dreaming brain will overlap our awake state and confuse us about what is real and what was fake. In a deep state of dreaming it is near impossible to identify our own projections as projections. The difference between the dream state and awake state is that our brain receives external data from our nine orifices, which then allows new material to be collected and analyzed in any situation. “The power and persuasiveness of any vision is equal to the degree that we believe them to be real.” (Cerebral Mirage page 16) In both states of consciousness, we are experiencing a simulation by our neural network. This virtual simulation is a trick consciousness plays on our brain without us even realizing it.
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
The brain tricks our consciousness to believe something to be real when it is not, providing a survival advantage. The the book ‘Cerebral Mirage: The Deceptive Nature of Awareness’ it explains that during a near death experience, or NDE, your consciousness sends a message unique to one’s biological history to encourage one to resist death. “The obvious neural trick involved in NDEs in that we are not recognizing numinous visions as our own projections, since such recognition may render the experience less persuasive and powerful.” (Cerebral Mirage page 21) An example is the virtual simulation theory. A message or vision is seen that has such for one force to resist death. “There is, in fact, one common denominator among all those who report NDEs: they didn’t die.” (Cerebral Mirage page 18) The trick by our conscious mind is key for elongated survival.
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Post by Tyler Van Voorhis on Jul 19, 2015 20:52:11 GMT
WEEK 4
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
The simulation theory of consciousness is best described as the explanation for dreams. “The reality we experience is part and parcel a simulation and may or may not correlate externally from ourselves.” (Is the Universe an App? pg 106) We know the brain is a simulator because of daydreaming. It’s a hallucination from the brain that occurs with or without us knowing or why we are doing it. “Consciousness is a fantastic virtual simulator because of its inclusity and insular engineering it has an inherent tendency to believe its own machinations as exterior to itself and not as the byproduct of its own interiority.” Many times our dreaming brain will overlap our awake state and confuse us about what is real and what was fake. In a deep state of dreaming it is near impossible to identify our own projections as projections. The difference between the dream state and awake state is that our brain receives external data from our nine orifices, which then allows new material to be collected and analyzed in any situation. “The power and persuasiveness of any vision is equal to the degree that we believe them to be real.” (Cerebral Mirage page 16) In both states of consciousness, we are experiencing a simulation by our neural network. This virtual simulation is a trick consciousness plays on our brain without us even realizing it.
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
The brain tricks our consciousness to believe something to be real when it is not, providing a survival advantage. The the book ‘Cerebral Mirage: The Deceptive Nature of Awareness’ it explains that during a near death experience, or NDE, your consciousness sends a message unique to one’s biological history to encourage one to resist death. “The obvious neural trick involved in NDEs in that we are not recognizing numinous visions as our own projections, since such recognition may render the experience less persuasive and powerful.” (Cerebral Mirage page 21) An example is the virtual simulation theory. A message or vision is seen that has such for one force to resist death. “There is, in fact, one common denominator among all those who report NDEs: they didn’t die.” (Cerebral Mirage page 18) The trick by our conscious mind is key for elongated survival.
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Post by Adam Elashi on Jul 19, 2015 21:18:08 GMT
1.) The virtual simulation theory of consciousness is one of the most interesting theories I have ever read it states consciousness can potentially stimulate anything given the necessary information. This means our brains are never ending machines that are capable of comprehending anything that it is thrown at it. “Times that our dreaming brain can overlap with our waking state and radically confuse us about what is internal and what is external. In certain brain states it is nearly impossible to even recognize our own projections as projections.” Is The Universe An App (Page 119) This quote shows that when we dream we don't know where dreaming we feel as if as though we are actually in the dream which is nothing short of amazing. In the video The Disneyland of Consciousness: Exploring the Animatronic Image it talks about how in different examples there are situations where people fully think things are alive and real because they perceive them to be that way but in reality they are not, are mind can actually play tricks on us that is why we must keep asking questions to answer those tricks.
2.) The brain tricks us in many ways but it does so because this a survival advantage, having near death experience gives us it elicits from a person's memory the meaning systems and beliefs that we hold so dear to us to serve as goaling reminder that we must keep fighting to live rather than just die. David Lane points out in the Theory of Meaning Equivalence and the Flourishing of Religion, “Any meaning is better than no meaning, provided such meaning allows one to live an extra day and increase his or her survival odds in terms of replicating strategies.” The brain also tricks us into believing things are real which when sometimes they are not this is as seen as an evolutionary advantage for it shows our brains are much more complex than the average creature. In the video The Disneyland of Consciousness: Exploring the Animatronic Image our professor gives us real life examples of how our brain can trick us on a daily basis without us realizing it, or truly believing it when other people don’t. We still don't fully know how our brains function on a daily basis, but we do know they are extremely intelligent machines that give us the most genetic survival to pass on our genes to the next generation.
Extra Credit: Response Gajinda Fonseka
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
The brain tricks us for many reasons, the “Cerebral Mirage the Deceptive Nature of a Wareness,” says, “the brain tricks us into believing something to be real when it is not, with a survival advantage” meaning the brain helps us to live longer. One of the examples given in the book is our brain can show us a message during a near death experience, which has been said to wake a dying patient up. On page 10, it says, “NDE may have much more to do with keeping one alive than some purported visions of the afterlife.” It is then supported by “it may well be that whenever the body-brain is under severe stress… consciousness elicits an ultimatum package of patterned meanings, drawn specifically from one’s own unique biographical/ psychological history, to encourage one to live and resist dying.” The book also says “the world we perceive around us is not as it appears” meaning, the way we see things is not correct, there is a whole other reason behind why we see what we see. One of the examples given was the colors we see. The actual object is not necessarily that color, “but how different light waves get absorbed and refracted. The colors we see are due to the spectral properties of light.”
Response: Really good post Gajinda I like how in depth you go with your answer. I think near death experiences is really underrated evolutionary advantage that most people just turn their head around when they hear about it,the way it releases such close memories and events in our lives to help us live and prosper for one more day is just amazing to me.
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Post by Valerie on Jul 19, 2015 23:21:01 GMT
Week 4
Explain the Virtual Simulation Theory of Consciousness.
The Virtual Simulation Theory of Consciousness is the mind's interpretation of what it perceives to be real, whether or not it actually is. Our minds give us a false sense of knowledge and certainty. (Cerebral Mirage, Pg. 5) An example of this could be our dreams. “Such delusions are our own dreams which we habitually take to be deeply real and rich with episodic narratives, except when we wake up and soon realize their wholly imaginative nature.” (Is the Universe an App? Pg. 101) Sometimes our brains can confuse us into believing that something is reality when in fact it is actually a delusion of sorts.
How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
“Natural selection will favour strategies that make many incorrect casual associates in order to establish those that are essential for survival and reproduction.” (Cerebral Mirage, Pg. 18) The brain can trick us into believing that something is real, even when it’s not, when it is needed for survival. The brain has a way of making us believe what it wants us to believe. According to the text, Cerebral Mirage, near death experiences can actually help in keeping someone alive and that regardless of the scenario that played out during that experience, it could suggest that the stress of dying can cause the consciousness to “elicit from a person’s memory those meaning systems or beliefs which were of the greatest concern so as to serve as a goading reminder about why one should want to live and not die.” (Cerebral Mirage, Pg. 21)
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Post by jessica1822 on Jul 20, 2015 1:03:36 GMT
WEEK 4: ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Explain the Virtual just Theory of Consciousness.
The virtual simulation theory of consciousness is the theory that what we see is not real, rather just an illusion. Our minds/ brain provide us with interpreted images from what is actually portrayed. In the short film "Disneyland of Consciousness", it goes on to tell us that an elderly woman attending " The Great Moments" show, that the show was put on by a very talented actor when in fact it was all done by auditory and imaging. Another example is our smart phone. In the short film Surfing the User Interface, it showed how we stay within the limits of thew virtual world. We never stop to see that they are being engineered at a deeper level by programmers.
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
The brain tricks us into believing something to be real when it is not. In the book Cerebral Mirage they explain how consciousness emerged as a virtual simulator to help map out future competetive strategies and increase survival rate. The book gives insight on one's awareness and how it's related to keeping one's body alive long enough to ensure progeny. The brain allows for survival in the sense that it gives us insight on scenarios allowing us to see which one would be the best to our advantage. |
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Post by antonia on Jul 20, 2015 1:07:56 GMT
Week 4
Question #1: Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
It is a sure thing that our consciousness and our awareness is what gives human beings the upper hand in the animal hierarchy. As emphasized in the clip, consciousness has its Darwinian advantage “since most of awareness is ‘in’ our head it doesn’t have to face the very real and empirical consequences of being ‘without.’ Being within survives. Being without tends to end up dead.” Consciousness is a virtual stimulator and it is because of this reason that humans have had the ability to survive generations after generations. According to the clip and the reading consciousness works as a virtual stimulator in that it allows us to project the outcome of given situations and subsequently this increases our chance of picking the better of the two choices we have been given, “Consciousness is a fantastic virtual simulator and because of its inclusivity and insular engineering it has an inherent tendency to believe its own machinations as exterior to itself and not as the byproduct of its own interiority (75).” Like the clip described, “any reproducing DNA that can develop a virtual stimulator within itself has a huge advantage over genetic strand that cannot.”
Question #2: How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
What we think we are observing might not necessarily be the case. According to the text, as humans we tend to blindly follow what has been put in front of us without really questioning what we are witnessing, “I find men victims of illusion in all parts of life. Children, youths, adults, and old men, all are led by one bawble or another (28).” This is not a new phenomenon, “Ancient seers in India and Greece and the Middle East wrote extensively about nature’s inherent trickery (4).” The book goes further into detail by discussing why we as a society get intrigued by certain works, for example, the movie The Matrix; it touches on a universal idea that we inhabit a world filled with hidden cosmos and that our body-brain complex perennially tricks us (13). According to the reading our brain’s trickery serves as a genetic survival because it helps us better navigate world by way of helping us make immediate judgments and future predictions in order to live an extra day (15). In a way this is alludes to the fact that if we fall for the tricks our brain plays on us, in the future we will be less likely to fall for that trickery. Contrarily the tricks the brain can play on us can be a beneficial factor. In the text it describes how brain trickery has helped bring people back who are in near death experience. And in these cases the survival advantage of the brain trick is that the person did not die.
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