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| A model of the conscious mind |
A Simple Model of Consciousness
By focusing on just the observable properties associated with consciousness, it is possible to generate a very simple model of consciousness.
Basic properties of consciousness
V.S. Ramachandran , a neuroscientist at the University of California, lists three conditions for consciousness to exist:
1. You are able to receive a neurological sensation and are able to interpret what it means to you.
2. You are able to store that sensation, at least temporarily in memory.
3. You are aware of wide range of possible responses.
For example, suppose you stub your toe on a table leg. The following elements imply that you are conscious of the event: first, you experience a sensation of pain and you realize that you have injured your toe; second, the pain lingers in memory for a moment in time; and third, you can consider a variety of possible reactions from crying in pain to moving the table to a new location.
A limit on consciousness
The derogatory phrase, ‘He can’t walk and chew gum at the same time’, is used to suggest that someone has a limited mental capacity. The phrase also underlines the fact that, even when fully alert, our conscious brains can only keep track of a few distinct tasks at the same time.
We often have the impression that we are doing three or four things at the same time. For example, you may be watching television, taking part in a conversation, and eating a snack at the same time. However, a careful analysis of the situation would probably show that your attention is switching back and forth between these tasks rather than monitoring them all simultaneously. When something interesting occurs on television, that is where your attention will probably be focused. At the same time you may continue to eat the snack and, somewhere at the back of your mind, you may monitor what your spouse is saying for key words or emotional content. After a few minutes, when there is a pause in the action on television you may discover that your snack has disappeared and your spouse is saying, ‘Have you listened to a word I said?’ This limitation is exemplified by the difficulties you would experience if you tried to bounce a ball, recite the alphabet, and subtract two fractions all at the same time.
We also know that it is challenging to reflect on your problem solving techniques, while actually trying to solve a problem. The best we seem able to do is to rapidly switch back and forth between one task and another.
In computer parlance, the ability to rapidly switch back and forth between tasks is called multi-tasking. The CPU in a simple computer can execute just one step at a time, in just one program at a time, yet because it has a high operating speed and can rapidly switch back and forth among various programs, it gives the appearance of dealing with several tasks simultaneously.
Talking on a cell phone, while driving a car seems to push the ability of our conscious minds to multi-task between two demanding processes at the same time.
In some situations, the ability of the conscious mind to block out other thoughts and focus on just one task at a time can be an asset. An aircraft controller is more effective when full attention is devoted to directing airplanes. A student is more effective when full attention is devoted to a single learning task.
If you can do only one thing at a time, how in fact do you manage to walk and chew gum at the same time? Your subconscious comes to the rescue. Walking is a skill that you have practiced for years. When you focus on the skills of walking, you can consciously move each leg and watch were you put each foot, always being careful to keep your balance. But when your attention is diverted to another activity, such as unwrapping a stick of gum, your subconscious is ready to take over the walking task and you do not miss a step.
In a simple analogy, your conscious mind is in the driver’s seat as you travel along the road of life, while your subconscious is a collection of passengers in the back seat who at times can reach forward and step on the accelerator, apply the brakes, or turn the steering wheel.
A model of the conscious mind
Your immediate-term memory contains the latest significant data related to your local environment as well as information about decisions that need to be made in the next few moments. You may need to decide whether to turn left or right, whether to continue hunting or return to camp, whether to eat the last available food or share it, or whether to judge a person guilty or innocent.
Recall from section 3.1 that your immediate-term memory contains an average of just seven information items from your senses and your memories, and is able to hold that information for only about thirty seconds. These properties of immediate-term memory explain why there appears to be a stream of consciousness. New information items are continually being added to immediate-term memory, decisions are being made, and old items are either being shifted into longer-term memory or dropped from memory all together. When a particular item is of interest it can be refreshed and kept in immediate-term memory for another thirty seconds, or it can be moved on to your short-term memory.
In this model of the conscious mind, consciousness is simply the
information being processed in your immediate-term memory at any given moment (while you are awake). Your focus of attention is just the scope of that information.
By focusing on just the observable properties associated with consciousness, it is possible to generate a very simple model of consciousness.
Basic properties of consciousness
V.S. Ramachandran , a neuroscientist at the University of California, lists three conditions for consciousness to exist:
1. You are able to receive a neurological sensation and are able to interpret what it means to you.
2. You are able to store that sensation, at least temporarily in memory.
3. You are aware of wide range of possible responses.
For example, suppose you stub your toe on a table leg. The following elements imply that you are conscious of the event: first, you experience a sensation of pain and you realize that you have injured your toe; second, the pain lingers in memory for a moment in time; and third, you can consider a variety of possible reactions from crying in pain to moving the table to a new location.
A limit on consciousness
The derogatory phrase, ‘He can’t walk and chew gum at the same time’, is used to suggest that someone has a limited mental capacity. The phrase also underlines the fact that, even when fully alert, our conscious brains can only keep track of a few distinct tasks at the same time.
We often have the impression that we are doing three or four things at the same time. For example, you may be watching television, taking part in a conversation, and eating a snack at the same time. However, a careful analysis of the situation would probably show that your attention is switching back and forth between these tasks rather than monitoring them all simultaneously. When something interesting occurs on television, that is where your attention will probably be focused. At the same time you may continue to eat the snack and, somewhere at the back of your mind, you may monitor what your spouse is saying for key words or emotional content. After a few minutes, when there is a pause in the action on television you may discover that your snack has disappeared and your spouse is saying, ‘Have you listened to a word I said?’ This limitation is exemplified by the difficulties you would experience if you tried to bounce a ball, recite the alphabet, and subtract two fractions all at the same time.
We also know that it is challenging to reflect on your problem solving techniques, while actually trying to solve a problem. The best we seem able to do is to rapidly switch back and forth between one task and another.
In computer parlance, the ability to rapidly switch back and forth between tasks is called multi-tasking. The CPU in a simple computer can execute just one step at a time, in just one program at a time, yet because it has a high operating speed and can rapidly switch back and forth among various programs, it gives the appearance of dealing with several tasks simultaneously.
Talking on a cell phone, while driving a car seems to push the ability of our conscious minds to multi-task between two demanding processes at the same time.
In some situations, the ability of the conscious mind to block out other thoughts and focus on just one task at a time can be an asset. An aircraft controller is more effective when full attention is devoted to directing airplanes. A student is more effective when full attention is devoted to a single learning task.
If you can do only one thing at a time, how in fact do you manage to walk and chew gum at the same time? Your subconscious comes to the rescue. Walking is a skill that you have practiced for years. When you focus on the skills of walking, you can consciously move each leg and watch were you put each foot, always being careful to keep your balance. But when your attention is diverted to another activity, such as unwrapping a stick of gum, your subconscious is ready to take over the walking task and you do not miss a step.
In a simple analogy, your conscious mind is in the driver’s seat as you travel along the road of life, while your subconscious is a collection of passengers in the back seat who at times can reach forward and step on the accelerator, apply the brakes, or turn the steering wheel.
A model of the conscious mind
Your immediate-term memory contains the latest significant data related to your local environment as well as information about decisions that need to be made in the next few moments. You may need to decide whether to turn left or right, whether to continue hunting or return to camp, whether to eat the last available food or share it, or whether to judge a person guilty or innocent.
Recall from section 3.1 that your immediate-term memory contains an average of just seven information items from your senses and your memories, and is able to hold that information for only about thirty seconds. These properties of immediate-term memory explain why there appears to be a stream of consciousness. New information items are continually being added to immediate-term memory, decisions are being made, and old items are either being shifted into longer-term memory or dropped from memory all together. When a particular item is of interest it can be refreshed and kept in immediate-term memory for another thirty seconds, or it can be moved on to your short-term memory.
In this model of the conscious mind, consciousness is simply the
information being processed in your immediate-term memory at any given moment (while you are awake). Your focus of attention is just the scope of that information.
This simple model of consciousness satisfies Ramachandran’s three criteria.
Significant neurological sensations are part of the normal content of immediate-term memory, so the first two criteria are satisfied as an event is interpreted and stored in memory. And according to the model, the primary function of immediate-term memory is to consider alternatives, so Ramachandran’s third criteria is also satisfied.
With this model, consciousness is not a mysterious property of the human spirit; it is just a continuously updated set of data items in immediate-term memory that may require a choice from among alternatives.
Significant neurological sensations are part of the normal content of immediate-term memory, so the first two criteria are satisfied as an event is interpreted and stored in memory. And according to the model, the primary function of immediate-term memory is to consider alternatives, so Ramachandran’s third criteria is also satisfied.
With this model, consciousness is not a mysterious property of the human spirit; it is just a continuously updated set of data items in immediate-term memory that may require a choice from among alternatives.
