Sunday, January 13, 2013

Freeman on Consciousness, Intentionality, and Causality


Abstract
To explain how stimuli cause consciousness, we have to explain causality. We can't trace linear causal chains from receptors after the first cortical synapse, so we use circular causality to explain neural pattern formation by self-organizing dynamics. But an aspect of intentional action is causality, which we extrapolate to material objects in the world. Thus causality is a property of mind, not matter.

Prof. Walter Freeman discusses philosophy of mind with reference to pragmatism and other oft-overlooked sources.

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