Post by qiangao on Aug 1, 2015 0:29:43 GMT
1. The virtual simulation theory of consciousness refers to the idea that the consciousness is like a virtual simulation. According to, “The Disneyland of Consciousness,” both the reading and the video, “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). The consciousness of human beings allows us to mistake a machine for a real person, or vice versa. The example in the video is of Disneyland attractions that use lighting on machines that cause people to believe that the machinations of human beings are real rather than simulated. Our consciousness is capable of taking a virtual reality and believing that it is actually outside of our consciousness, physicalized in the world. The idea of the virtual simulation theory of consciousness is that human consciousness is a virtual simulator in itself. What it perceives in the world it believes is real. Our brains can create images in our minds that we think are completely real. An image that is projected in our mind is our own little virtual reality, because we can believe that it is real and physical. This allows us to imagine different scenarios in situations.
2. The brain can trick us by making us think our imagination is real. This consciousness itself has an evolutionary benefit. Andrea and David Lane quote Edelmen in saying that, “consciousness allows you the capacity to plan” (86). According to the video “Brain Burn: Consciousness as a Virtual Simulator,” consciousness allows people to play out potential scenarios without actually putting themselves in danger. The consciousness allows people to image all different scenarios based on the actions that they choose to take. By imagining those scenarios, people are able to plan based on what they imagine would happen if they took certain actions over others, and in the end, decide which scenario would give them the best benefit. This is helpful evolutionarily, because humans are able to survive by playing out these possibilities without real danger and are then able to reproduce. According to the “Brain Burn” video, every deep thought that human beings have is a product of their consciousness trying to keep them alive. Basically, humans have imagination so that they can survive potentially dangerous scenarios. According to the “Wisdom” video, humans are not able to remember when they became conscious, and they can never experience the death of their consciousness, because the unconscious is something that humans are not able to experience. Death itself, then, is the death of consciousness, but humans will not feel or experience that death happening, so in theory they should not be afraid.
2. The brain can trick us by making us think our imagination is real. This consciousness itself has an evolutionary benefit. Andrea and David Lane quote Edelmen in saying that, “consciousness allows you the capacity to plan” (86). According to the video “Brain Burn: Consciousness as a Virtual Simulator,” consciousness allows people to play out potential scenarios without actually putting themselves in danger. The consciousness allows people to image all different scenarios based on the actions that they choose to take. By imagining those scenarios, people are able to plan based on what they imagine would happen if they took certain actions over others, and in the end, decide which scenario would give them the best benefit. This is helpful evolutionarily, because humans are able to survive by playing out these possibilities without real danger and are then able to reproduce. According to the “Brain Burn” video, every deep thought that human beings have is a product of their consciousness trying to keep them alive. Basically, humans have imagination so that they can survive potentially dangerous scenarios. According to the “Wisdom” video, humans are not able to remember when they became conscious, and they can never experience the death of their consciousness, because the unconscious is something that humans are not able to experience. Death itself, then, is the death of consciousness, but humans will not feel or experience that death happening, so in theory they should not be afraid.