Consciousness and the Paranormal — Part 2

[Constance]

But I'm fairly sure that you're not really interested in most of those 'marginal' subjects. I'm personally okay with continuing to discuss theories of consciousness and mind, where we -- and a lot of other people in consciousness studies and philosophy of mind -- have interesting differences in our thinking. I'd also like to hear more about IIT.3 and to follow Deutsch's new program for research.

 

[Soupie]

But I'm fairly sure that you're not really interested in most of those 'marginal' subjects. I'm personally okay with continuing to discuss theories of consciousness and mind, where we -- and a lot of other people in consciousness studies and philosophy of mind -- have interesting differences in our thinking. I'd also like to hear more about IIT.3 and to follow Deutsch's new program for research.

I am interested in those subjects as they relate to the nature of reality and human nature.

Sure, I could read a book about paranormal phenomena like NDEs, OBEs, psi, etc. and some day I will. (And Buddhism, meditation, UFOs, the trickster, etc.)

However, my main interest right now is simply thinking/reading about consciousness studies, particularly from the information and cognitive neuroscience perspectives. Although I am open to other models.

I've tried to share any and all articles I've found and read with links and brief summaries. Books not so much. Other than Pharoah's excellent book which I'm working through, I've not read any books on consciousness since I started participating in this discussion.

While you and Steve have certainly shared meant great articles, I don't recall many dealing specifically with examples of paranormal aspects of consciousness and models to account for them. Of course, as noted, not much is understood so perhaps there are no models other than the filter/radio model.

 

[Soupie]

Then talk more about that!

I have! And will when I encounter accounts and/or articles about such accounts.

I've posted articles about NDEs and OBEs and I've asked questions regarding sensory processing sans a body, etc.

I've also posted quite a bit about Ayahausca and speculated about the nature of the entities encountered there.

Perhaps the absence of models/theories isn't just in regard to paranormal aspects of mind, as I've read several articles lately that bemoan the shocking lack of theories of the mind in general.

I imagine there will come a day when humans look back on current models of the brain/mind and laugh at the simplistic parallels we've noted with our crude machines.

For one thing, we can already imagine machines and computers much more advanced then the ones we've currently created, and two, as noted, some aspects of mind may transcend the physicalist paradigm.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

This thread is now closed. A new thread "Consciousness and the Paranormal — Part 3" has been created.
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