Post by nadinerichards on Jul 27, 2015 8:07:52 GMT
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
Consciousness is like a virtual simulator. In
the Brain Burn video, it is said that the virtual simulator that is
consciousness has been "so helpful allowing humans to survive globally,
even when our bodies were not adapted to certain environmental niches." It
gives humans an advantage in survival by allowing us to play out
different scenarios in our heads before acting on them. We are able to
determine the probabilities of what our actions may result in, all
inside of our heads. Other animals don't have this advantage, so when
they act, it is only in real life, which gives a greater chance of
things going wrong, and not surviving. Humans are also able to reenact
an event if it goes wrong, safely inside their heads. In this way we
have even more of an advantage because we are able to prevent the same
mistake from happening again. To be able to think before acting, or reflect afterwards is a result of the evolution of consciousness.
2.How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it to our genetic survival?
The
brain tricks us into feeling that we are experiencing what is happening
to other people. This is because of mirror neurons. Mirror neurons have
been observed in monkeys. Specific mirror neurons fired when an action
such as picking something up was performed, but they also fired when the
monkeys observed a researcher picking something up. In this way, humans
can similarly observe someone else's point of view. In the book, "Is
the Universe an App?", researchers at the University of Toronto observed
in an experiment, that some sensory pain neuron will fire just as
strongly when a person watches someone else being poked. Mirror neurons
are responsible for "dissolving the barrier between self and
others."(18) Mirror neurons giving us the ability to read each others
intentions has helped our survival, and also may have "played a crucial
role in many quintessentially human abilities such as empathy,learning
through imitation, and culture."(19)It is our nature to communicate and
socialize with humans. We are more inclined to help out other humans,
because with mirror neurons, we can relate to their experiences.
Consciousness is like a virtual simulator. In
the Brain Burn video, it is said that the virtual simulator that is
consciousness has been "so helpful allowing humans to survive globally,
even when our bodies were not adapted to certain environmental niches." It
gives humans an advantage in survival by allowing us to play out
different scenarios in our heads before acting on them. We are able to
determine the probabilities of what our actions may result in, all
inside of our heads. Other animals don't have this advantage, so when
they act, it is only in real life, which gives a greater chance of
things going wrong, and not surviving. Humans are also able to reenact
an event if it goes wrong, safely inside their heads. In this way we
have even more of an advantage because we are able to prevent the same
mistake from happening again. To be able to think before acting, or reflect afterwards is a result of the evolution of consciousness.
2.How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it to our genetic survival?
The
brain tricks us into feeling that we are experiencing what is happening
to other people. This is because of mirror neurons. Mirror neurons have
been observed in monkeys. Specific mirror neurons fired when an action
such as picking something up was performed, but they also fired when the
monkeys observed a researcher picking something up. In this way, humans
can similarly observe someone else's point of view. In the book, "Is
the Universe an App?", researchers at the University of Toronto observed
in an experiment, that some sensory pain neuron will fire just as
strongly when a person watches someone else being poked. Mirror neurons
are responsible for "dissolving the barrier between self and
others."(18) Mirror neurons giving us the ability to read each others
intentions has helped our survival, and also may have "played a crucial
role in many quintessentially human abilities such as empathy,learning
through imitation, and culture."(19)It is our nature to communicate and
socialize with humans. We are more inclined to help out other humans,
because with mirror neurons, we can relate to their experiences.