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THE CONSCIOUSNESS CIRCUIT
AN APROACH TO THE HARD PROBLEM
Introduction
• The Consciousness problem
The consciousness concept is hybrid,
connoting a number of different concepts and
phenomena.
In order to clarify this issue, David Chalmers
separates the problems which are often
clustered together under that name. He
first distinguished between an "easy” and a
“hard" problem of consciousness.
David Chalmers
Introduction
• The Consciousness problem
The Easy problem is, by no means, trivial. It
is, actually, as challenging, as most problems
in psychology and biology.
But it is within the Hard problem that the
central mystery lies.
consciencia
“easy” Problem
Psychological and biological questions
“hard”problem
Subjective questions
Introduction
• The Consciousness problem
As a working hypothesis, we have assumed
that the hard and the easy problems are
interrelated.
In order to organize such an issue, we have
created an orthogonal graphic model which
will help us to better organize the interaction
between the organic pattern (the easy
problem) and the subjective experiences (the
hard problem) .
“hard” Problem
“easy” problem
Introduction
• Around the terminologies
•Consciousness is often related
to attentive state and
awareness as synonymous or,
in terms of equality, like being
phenomenon of the same level
or quality.
•Our question is: - What is the
real relationship between those
concepts?
Consciousness
Atttention
Awareness
Are they synonimous?
Introduction
• Around the terminologies
Our first hypotheses is:
The Consciousness is an extend
and unique field that contains
the Attention and the Awareness
fields
Consciousness
Attention
Awareness
Introduction
• Around the terminologies
Our second hypotheses is:
•The Attention and the Awareness
states are different sort of
manifestation.
Consciousness
Attention
Awareness
Introduction
• Around the terminologies
Our third hypotheses is:
Both fields- Attention and
Awareness - are related to each
other , in a functional way.
If aware
Yes attentio
n
If attent
ion
Yes or no
awareness
but
Consciousness
attention
awareness
Introduction
• Around the terminologies
Our fourth hypotheses is:
The Attention is an “Easy
problem” issue, profoundly
studied in psychology and
biology.
The Awareness belongs to the
“hard problem” field and give
rise to the question of how
physical processes in the brain
incite subjective experience.
Consciousness
attention
awareness
Attention = Easy problem field
Awareness= Hard Problem field
•The Easy Problem - Attentional graphic• The Attentional modulation (S)• The attentional quantum (Q)
•The Hard Problem -Awareness graphic• The self (SF)
The consciousness Represented as an orthogonal graphic
THE ATTENTIONTHE EASY PROBLEM FIELD
Definition
Attention is a selectively cognitive
process of concentration in one
aspect of the environment while
ignoring others.
It implies a state of readiness for
such attention, involving,
especially, a selective narrowing or
focusing of consciousness and
receptivity.
Consciousness
Attention
The Attention
The Attention modulation (S)
HORIZONTAL AXE
“Quantum”(Q)
“modulation” (S)
The neuronal processes are an important neurophysiologic cue for the understanding of attention.
Lamme describes at least three fundamentally
different types of processing that can be iden-
tified within this parallel flow.
• Feed forward processing (FFS)
• Recurrent processing (RI)
• Widespread recurrent processing (WRI)
Wsri RP FFSV.A.F. Lamme
The Attention modulation (S)
(FFS) The Feed forward sweep is defined as the earliest activation of cells in successive areas of cortical
hierarchy .(It is not sufficient for visual awareness)
Wsri RP FFS
V.A.F. Lamme
The Attention modulation (S)
STIMULUSREFLEX RESPONSE
OTHERS DESTINATIONS
REFLEX RESPONSES
(RI) Recurrent interactions between areas are necessary for the visual features to be related to each other and
are where binding and segregation may occur. (perceptual organization is developed)
Wsri RP FFS
V.A.F. Lamme
The Attention modulation (S)
CONSCIOUS OUTPUT
STIMULUS
RP
IMAGE FORMATIO
N
(WSRI) Widespread recurrent interactions involve many regions of the brain, such as the frontal cortex, pre-
frontal and temporal cortex
Visual information being processed through the needs, goals and in the personal history of the person.
It occurs when the stimulus has passed the intentional bottleneck between sensory and executive areas.
Wsri RP FFS
V.A.F. Lamme
The Attention modulation (S)
CONCEPTUAL PROCESSES
The Attention modulation (S)
Attention can be directed to an environmental stimulus
(exogenous attention) or to inner feelings, memories,
thoughts etc. stimulus (endogenous attention).
Exogenous attention leads the consciousness focus
to environmental stimuli.
Endogenous attention happens when an external
event has to be translated as an inner image and then
to an abstract cue.
Endogenous
Exogenous
Wsri RP FFS
V.A.F. Lamme
ATTENTIONAL DIRECTIO
N
The Attention Quantum (Q)
VERTICAL AXE
“Quantum”(Q)
“modulation” (S)
The quantum (Q) of attention
• The thalamocortical circuit and the
aminergic-cholinergicprojections are
responsible for the desynchronization of
the EEG during wakefulness.
Flávio Alóe; Alexandre Pinto de Azevedo; Rosa Hasan
The quantum (Q) of attention
According to the Reciprocity Interaction Model:
• High amnergic activity during active
wakefulness activates the thalamocortical
circuits but is reduced during NREM sleep,
and is absent during REM sleep.
• Aminergic neurons are called wake-on-
and-sleep-off cells. The cerebral cortex is
aminergically demodulated during REM
sleep due to the lack of hypocretin tone.
Flávio Alóe; Alexandre Pinto de Azevedo; Rosa Hasan
The quantum (Q) of attention
• The cholinergic activity is at a maximum
during REM sleep and wakefulness but is
minimal or absent during NREM sleep.
• Cholinergic nuclei are activated during
wakefulness and during REM sleep with
EEG desynchronization. Cholinergic cells
are known as“ REM-and-wake-on" cells.
Flávio Alóe; Alexandre Pinto de Azevedo; Rosa Hasan
The quantum (Q) of attention
• On the Reciprocity Interaction Model,
high levels of cortical acetylcholine
are correlated with increased
attention.
REM
NREM
Wakefulness
Quantum (Q)
(*) Aminergic-Cholinergic
(*) Cholinergic
Flávio Alóe; Alexandre Pinto de Azevedo; Rosa Hasan
CONSCIOUS (Amnergic - cholinergic)
SEMICONSCIOUS(less amnergic - no chollinergic)
UNCONSCIOUS (cholinergic)
• The quantum (Q) leads to different levels of attention.
The quantum (Q) of attention
Wakefulness
NREM
REM
Sleepiness
The Attention as an orthogonal graphic
• The orthogonal graphic
RP
Sleepiness
REM
Wakefulness
NREM
Environmental attention
Out of Vision Field
Mnemonic attention
– Uncontrolled memories, emotions and feelings
– controlled memories, emotions and feelings
Inside the Vision Field
Rational attention
– Actions, goals, step processes, key analyses, ethical evaluation.
– loosing of coherence, mixing of information
WSRI
(Q)
(S) FFS
Beside the Vision Field
The consciousness as an orthogonal graphic
• Examples of the graphic interpretation
The Attention
Consciousness Circuit (“Looking at” situation)
FFS Opened eyes
Focusing the object
Eyes closed
RP
Consciousness Circuit (“Dreaming” situation)
Opened Eyes
Out of focus objects (by rotation of the
ocular globe)RP
Consciousness Circuit (“Day dreaming” situation)
Opened Eyes
Out of focus objects (by rotation of the
ocular globe)WRSI
Consciousness Circuit (“Thinking” situation)
conclusion
The graph above shows that Attention is a
result of the Consciousness phenomenon. It is
an abstract concept but it can be measured
by physics means, just like the concepts of
velocity (v) and acceleration (a).
THE AWARENESSTHE HARD PROBLEM FIELD
•THE AWARENESS
The Awareness is a consciousness
dynamic phenomenon where oneself
recognize and experience lively, it
own conscious state.
The consciousness is also the
manifestations field of those
phenomenon.
Consciousness
Awareness
The awareness is related to the QUALIA issue
The QUALIA problems:
◦ how people can see the redness of the red,
the nature of their feelings, etc.?
◦ How can a person be aware of his or her
own awareness state?
How can we understand and evaluate the
possibility of awareness of the proper system
regarding itself – “the awareness of the
awareness state”?
Awareness provides the raw
material from which one
develops qualia, or subjective
ideas about their experience
and even self-awareness, which
means that one is aware of
one’s own awareness state.
Consciousness
Awareness
AWARENESS
AWARENESS
One characteristic from the awareness state is that subjective experiences apear from the first person’s access to them.
It is, first of all, a personal and subjective experience of the SELF.
AWARENESS
Here, we introduce a third axe to our model that represents the SELF.
The awareness state has different degrees of perception.
This is well described in the Indian tradition “scale of sentience”.
Each “stage” in this scale goes from mere experienced sensation to self-consciousness.
AWARENESS
THIS
THIS IS SO
I´M AFFECTED BY THIS IS SO
THIS IS I´M THAT IS AFFECTED BY THIS
IS SO
THE SELF
The third axe of the graph
opens a new reference order
in the consciousness process
and leads to another
dimension outside time-space
references.
This is self dimension, which
defines the unicity of human
existence outside the
phenomenal world.
AWARENESS
THIS
THIS IS SO
I´M AFFECTED BY THIS IS SO
THIS IS I´M THAT IS AFFECTED BY THIS
IS SO
THE SELF
Clique no ícone para adicionar uma imagem
ORCH OR THEORY
The neurophysiologic
correlate of the Awareness
ORCH OR THEORY
The self phenomenon must be
seen in a different order and it
should be studied with a new
scientific approach.
In order to understand this
dynamics, we applied to the
Orch Or theory.THIS
THIS IS SO
I´M AFFECTED BY THIS IS SO
THIS IS I´M THAT IS AFFECTED BY THIS
IS SO
THE SELF
Mainstream theories assume that
consciousness emerges from the
brain and focus particularly on
complex computation at connections
known as synapses that allow
communication between brain cells
(neurons)
ORCH OR THEORY
IntroductionThe neuron
ORCH OR THEORY
The neurotransmitter molecules are
transport to the synapse through the
microtubules that are an important
component of the cytoskeleton.
The cytoskeleton provides an
internal supportive structure for
neurons.
The known function of the
microtubules includes transport of
molecules, giving bound for the
synapses and control of the cell's
movement, growth and shape
The cytoskeleton -
microtubules
ORCH OR THEORY
Hameroff proposed that microtubules
were suitable candidates to support
quantum processing.
Microtubules are comprised of
subunits of the protein, tubulin.
The microtubules structure –
protein tubulin
ORCH OR THEORY
Proteins contain hydrophobic (water
repellent) pockets. These pockets
contain atoms with electrons called π
electrons.
Electrons in the reactive outer part
(outer shell) of the atom are not
bonded to other atoms.
Ex. The π electrons in benzene occupy molecular orbital like this one, which are delocalized over the entire molecule
The protein water repellent
characteristic – n electron
ORCH OR THEORY
Hameroff claims that this is close
enough for the π electrons of the
tubulin to become quantum entangled
and so, be able to alter one another's
properties instantaneously and at a
distance.
(It would not be possible, if they were
large scale objects obeying the laws of
classical as opposed to quantum
physics) Quantum entangled images
Quantum entaglement
ORCH OR THEORY
A large numbers of these electrons can
become involved in a state known as
a Bose-Einstein condensate.
These occur when large numbers of
quantum particles become locked in phase
and exist as a single quantum object.
Hameroff suggests that this quantum
activity feature, which is usually at a very
tiny scale, could be boosted to influence
the brain in a large scale.
Quantum object
ORCH OR THEORY
Hameroff has proposed that condensates in
microtubules in one neuron can link with
other neurons via gap junctions.
Those gaps are sufficiently small for
quantum objects to cross it by means of a
process known as quantum tunneling.
Hameroff proposes that this tunneling allows
a quantum object, such as the Bose-Einstein
condensates mentioned above, to cross into
other neurons and thus extend across a large
area of the brain as a single quantum object.
Quantum tunneling
ORCH OR THEORY
Hameroff further postulates that the
action of this large-scale quantum
feature is the source of the gamma
(40 Hz) synchronization observed in
the brain, and sometimes viewed as
a correlate of consciousness (Crick
&Koch)
Wave phenomenon
When the quanta are the subject
of measurements or of
interaction with the environment,
the wave characteristic is lost,
and a particle is found at a
specific point.
This change is commonly
referred to as the collapse of
the wave function.
ORCH OR THEORY
Wave collapse phenomenon
ORCH OR THEORY
This is suggested to become unstable
above the Planck scale and to
collapse so as to choose just one of
the possible locations for the particle.
Wave collapse phenomenon
ORCH OR THEORY
Penrose calls this event “objective
reduction (OR)”, reduction being
another word for wave function
collapse.
Objective reduction
Penrose further proposes a limit to
the size of this space time blister.
Above this size, Penrose suggests
that space time can be viewed as
continuous and that gravity starts
to exerce its force on the space
time blister.
ORCH OR THEORY
Limit size: This is the tiny Planck scale of (10−35 m).
Wave collapse process
Based on this theory, the self
axe reflects another system
code – a fourth dimension
reference system.
In this graphic, the vertical
axe represent the wave
function phenomenon
CONCLUSION
THIS
THIS IS SO
I´M AFFECTED BY THIS IS SO
THIS IS I´M THAT IS AFFECTED BY THIS
IS SO
THE SELF
CONCLUSION
The third axe nature could be the
element that brings forth the
reference of consciousness in
another reference system,
expanding the knowledge field
about Consciousness.
It brings us the possibility of
understanding the Hard Problem of
consciousness including it in its real
path of comprehension
THE SELF
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
AUTHORS:
SULAMITA FROHLICH
PROF. CARLOS A.FRANCO
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