The Hardest Problem of Consciousness We often hear of the hard problem of consciousness. Why is there qualia or experience of anything in the first place? I would submit there is an even harder and more important question - why do I seem to be a specific individual experiencing a specific subset of qualia? This is the most important question that must be asked and answered but rarely is. As a matter of fact there seems to be a huge blind spot when it comes to this in discussions of consciousness. If material reductionism is to be relevant to the big questions, then it has to explain not how brains generate consciousness but how the specific brain in my head could create the specific consciousness I seem to be looking out of the eyeballs of this specific body. Why do I PERSONALLY EXIST as an individual in the first place? Out of the infinite matter in the universe how is it that only the three pounds in my head could create me? What is different about that three pounds for this to occur? Consider that billions of bodies showed up before this one. Billions showed up after this one. None of them seem to have created my existence. This body could be running around without it being ME just like these billions of others All bodies are made of the same elements. All brains have the same basic anatomy. If all brains are basically the same and are creating consciousness then there should only be ONE consciousness looking out of every set of eyeballs simultaneously. A hopelessly superimposed existence from every possible viewpoint at once. I’m sure that materialists would claim that no, no, brains are so complex they are all different. Ok, so what would have to be recreated in another brain for me to exist looking out of another set of eyeballs? When the ontologies purporting to explain consciousness are examined critically it becomes obvious that all materialist/reductionist strategies fail completely in attempting to address the individuality question. What is the principled explanation for why: A brain over here would generate my specific consciousness and a brain over there would generate your specific consciousness? Integrated information over here would generate my specific consciousness and integrated information over there would generate your specific consciousness? Global workspace over here would generate my specific consciousness and global workspace there would generate your specific consciousness? Orchestrated quantum collapse in microtubules over here would generate my specific consciousness and orchestrated quantum collapse in microtubules over there would generate your specific consciousness? A clump of conscious atoms over here (panpsychicism) would generate my specific consciousness and a clump of conscious atoms over there would generate your specific consciousness? If an exact copy of my body was suddenly created in antarctica would I find myself to exist freezing there while also sitting in the comfort my living room? According to the physicalists that would have to be true or their argument collapses into incoherence. Materialism already fails since it cannot find a transfer function between microvolt level sparks in the brain and any experience or qualia. In addition it’s not possible for materialistic ontologies to address this question of individuality since no measurement can be made that could verify my consciousness vs your consciousness and therefore no materialist ontology could make any coherent statements about the subject. How could pure awareness even be individualized? Physicalists demand measurements but with consciousness there is nothing to measure. There is electricity in the brain they say. We’ll measure that. Is electricity consciousness? If so then once I again I should exist everywhere at once since electricity cannot be individualized. My blender uses electricity. Is it a genius? Unless materialists can answer these questions their premise collapses like the house of cards it is. As far as other ways of thought are concerned only Dualism and Idealism can account for our sense of individuality. Dualism assumes we are all individual spirits/souls matched up to a body through some undefined process. Idealism, which states that consciousness is primary also answers the question of why I seem to exist as an individual. One consciousness exists looking out of every set of eyeballs and in the process the illusion of individuality is created in each case. In actual reality I am you, you are me, we are one.
I'm struggling somewhat between "truth" and "payoff" but the way I'm conceptualising is with the example of a creature attempting to reach food behind an obstacle. The creature doesn't need to know what the obstacle is, what it looks like, what it's made of, etc. It only needs to know that an obstacle exists and that it needs to go around the obstacle to reach the food. The first creature to do that "wins" irrespective of how much or how little it actually knows about the obstacle or the route to the reward.
It's fascinating how the philosophical disciplines evolve, and the potential resurgence of metaphysics in new forms is intriguing. The shift from metaphysics to physics marked a significant historical turn, but concepts like hologram theory, simulation theory, and information theory suggest kind of a metaphysical revival, especially in how they redefine our understanding of reality. These theories seem to bridge the gap between the abstract and the empirical, resonating with Leibniz's ideas on reality's underlying structures. Instead of theology I would propose to reuse the term Metaphysics, which is more philosophical and thus rational.
There’s several religions that say there’s a vail so we can’t see or remember the spiritual realm. Maybe this is the science of the vail? Sounds like a good book title @donald. “Science of the vail”
What happens when we die? The headset is off and life will finally make sense? I hope I am reunited with my fiance who was killed in a motorcycle accident. 😢
![일상 속 기분 좋음 [Proto disco meme]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DwmEIaZ7XGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Dr Hoffman is a wonder and a treasure in this world. Thank you so much for this
Thank you, Donald, for all you do and the fun you are having. Fascinating!
At min 36... if the vibes are right... higher energy... thanks for this beautiful discussion and for starting this podcast...
this is the best video on tv
The Hardest Problem of Consciousness
We often hear of the hard problem of consciousness. Why is there qualia or experience of anything in the first place? I would submit there is an even harder and more important question - why do I seem to be a specific individual experiencing a specific subset of qualia? This is the most important question that must be asked and answered but rarely is. As a matter of fact there seems to be a huge blind spot when it comes to this in discussions of consciousness. If material reductionism is to be relevant to the big questions, then it has to explain not how brains generate consciousness but how the specific brain in my head could create the specific consciousness I seem to be looking out of the eyeballs of this specific body. Why do I PERSONALLY EXIST as an individual in the first place? Out of the infinite matter in the universe how is it that only the three pounds in my head could create me? What is different about that three pounds for this to occur?
Consider that billions of bodies showed up before this one.
Billions showed up after this one.
None of them seem to have created my existence.
This body could be running around without it being ME just like these billions of others
All bodies are made of the same elements.
All brains have the same basic anatomy.
If all brains are basically the same and are creating consciousness then there should only be ONE consciousness looking out of every set of eyeballs simultaneously.
A hopelessly superimposed existence from every possible viewpoint at once.
I’m sure that materialists would claim that no, no, brains are so complex they are all different.
Ok, so what would have to be recreated in another brain for me to exist looking out of another set of eyeballs?
When the ontologies purporting to explain consciousness are examined critically it becomes obvious that all materialist/reductionist strategies fail completely in attempting to address the individuality question.
What is the principled explanation for why:
A brain over here would generate my specific consciousness and a brain over there would generate your specific consciousness?
Integrated information over here would generate my specific consciousness and integrated information over there would generate your specific consciousness?
Global workspace over here would generate my specific consciousness and global workspace there would generate your specific consciousness?
Orchestrated quantum collapse in microtubules over here would generate my specific consciousness and orchestrated quantum collapse in microtubules over there would generate your specific consciousness?
A clump of conscious atoms over here (panpsychicism) would generate my specific consciousness and a clump of conscious atoms over there would generate your specific consciousness?
If an exact copy of my body was suddenly created in antarctica would I find myself to exist freezing there while also sitting in the comfort my living room?
According to the physicalists that would have to be true or their argument collapses into incoherence.
Materialism already fails since it cannot find a transfer function between microvolt level sparks in the brain and any experience or qualia. In addition it’s not possible for materialistic ontologies to address this question of individuality since no measurement can be made that could verify my consciousness vs your consciousness and therefore no materialist ontology could make any coherent statements about the subject.
How could pure awareness even be individualized?
Physicalists demand measurements but with consciousness there is nothing to measure.
There is electricity in the brain they say. We’ll measure that.
Is electricity consciousness? If so then once I again I should exist everywhere at once since electricity cannot be individualized.
My blender uses electricity.
Is it a genius?
Unless materialists can answer these questions their premise collapses like the house of cards it is.
As far as other ways of thought are concerned only Dualism and Idealism can account for our sense of individuality. Dualism assumes we are all individual spirits/souls matched up to a body through some undefined process. Idealism, which states that consciousness is primary also answers the question of why I seem to exist as an individual.
One consciousness exists looking out of every set of eyeballs and in the process the illusion of individuality is created in each case.
In actual reality I am you, you are me, we are one.
I'm struggling somewhat between "truth" and "payoff" but the way I'm conceptualising is with the example of a creature attempting to reach food behind an obstacle. The creature doesn't need to know what the obstacle is, what it looks like, what it's made of, etc. It only needs to know that an obstacle exists and that it needs to go around the obstacle to reach the food. The first creature to do that "wins" irrespective of how much or how little it actually knows about the obstacle or the route to the reward.
🙏
It's fascinating how the philosophical disciplines evolve, and the potential resurgence of metaphysics in new forms is intriguing. The shift from metaphysics to physics marked a significant historical turn, but concepts like hologram theory, simulation theory, and information theory suggest kind of a metaphysical revival, especially in how they redefine our understanding of reality. These theories seem to bridge the gap between the abstract and the empirical, resonating with Leibniz's ideas on reality's underlying structures. Instead of theology I would propose to reuse the term Metaphysics, which is more philosophical and thus rational.
Brilliant talke as usual !
❤ 💯
There’s several religions that say there’s a vail so we can’t see or remember the spiritual realm. Maybe this is the science of the vail? Sounds like a good book title @donald. “Science of the vail”
DEAR DONALD YOUR APPROACH IS BIT RIGHT BUT YOU SHOULD ALSO PRESRNT A SOLUTION MODEL INTO YOUR TALK WITH THE RESOURCES SUPPORT NEEDED
What happens when we die? The headset is off and life will finally make sense?
I hope I am reunited with my fiance who was killed in a motorcycle accident. 😢
I just want out, without committing suicide. For i am too chicken to do so.