Science Forums 2

[maddog]

JL,

I really liked you expose on conciousness, though it is to long for me to go point by point
on it. I implicitly accept what you have so eloquently. I am though interested in what is
the minimal set components as to distinguish where conciousness can be detected in a
lifeform (observed).

So imagine a person who is blind, deaf, cannot smell and has no tactile sensory input.
His only contact with his environment is his thoughts. This might be complicated to
imagine so we can imagine this condition occured as some debilitating disease as and
adult. This gives the advantage that he knew of these abilities to create memories before
such a disease. Add to that his ability of an idetic or photographic memory. Thus I am
creating this individual to have a complete memory of every experience before his injury
or disease and no ability now.

How would his conciousness be directed except toward re-thinking his life over and over.
Could he reason, deduce form conclusions ? He could hypothesize/conjecture to his hearts
desire though could not back up one shred of evidence except to recollect what he already
knew. Could this be concious state or would this look more like a state of coma ? Could
he consider his consequences ? Could he theorize about future events ?

Maddog