Post by scott on Jan 31, 2015 20:28:47 GMT
When I dream, I feel I am observing a story/movie. As the observer, I am not the author or director of the movie. Sometimes, I am experiencing the dream in the third person, and sometimes I experience the first person perspective. I can only presume that my sub-conscious mind is in charge, creating the dream story spontaneously. As the observer, I don't know what's going to happen next in the storyline. But when I awake, I can often recall the details of the story and my role in it.
It makes me wonder if the Conscious mind is in a similar position; merely watching the story that unfolds as the sub-conscious directs and controls our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The difference being that we do not wake up from the daily reality generated by our sub-conscious, like we do from our nightly dreams.
This is part of my curiosity regarding the purpose and function of the Conscious mind. Is it an epiphenomenon, a vestigial aspect of our brain? If it can't exert any control over the rest of the brain or even gain access to the sub-conscious, then what possible function does it serve?
Is the sub-conscious self-aware without the conscious mind? Or does it rely on what the conscious mind experiences in terms of self awareness to help evaluate our interactions with the environment?
Your thoughts?
Scott
It makes me wonder if the Conscious mind is in a similar position; merely watching the story that unfolds as the sub-conscious directs and controls our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The difference being that we do not wake up from the daily reality generated by our sub-conscious, like we do from our nightly dreams.
This is part of my curiosity regarding the purpose and function of the Conscious mind. Is it an epiphenomenon, a vestigial aspect of our brain? If it can't exert any control over the rest of the brain or even gain access to the sub-conscious, then what possible function does it serve?
Is the sub-conscious self-aware without the conscious mind? Or does it rely on what the conscious mind experiences in terms of self awareness to help evaluate our interactions with the environment?
Your thoughts?
Scott
