What else?

Consciousness is one of the most interesting, and at the same time controversial areas in philosophy of mind and psychology. Although the word consciousness is frequently used in day to day conversations as being awake and not asleep, there is much debate on the exact definition and the nature of this term amongst philosophers and psychologists. Some philosophers believe that the state of being conscious should not be confused with awareness (which is roughly equivalent to what is called “access consciousness”). For example patients with persistent vegetative states, can be fully conscious, meaning they are not asleep, but they lack what is called awareness, either self-awareness or world-awareness.

Related to the discussion of consciousness is a hypothetical entity called “philosophical zombie” or in short p-zombies. Zombie denotes a dead body that has been brought back to life. P-zombie on the other hand is a hypothetical entity which has all characteristics of a human being except for consciousness. It behaves exactly like humans, it responds to stimuli (e.g. painul stimulus) the same way as we do (e.g. crying), but with no consciousness of what it receives or how it behaves.

In philosophy of mind, philosophers who believe in dualism (those who believe that mind and matter are two ontologically separate concepts) use what is called “zombie arguments” against physicalists (those who assert there are no kinds of beings other than physical things).

One such argument is as follows:

• “If physicalism is true, then it is not possible for there to be a world in which all the physical facts are the same as those of the actual world but in which there are additional facts. (This is because, according to physicalism, all the facts are fully determined by the physical facts; so any world that is physically indistinguishable from our world is entirely indistinguishable from our world.)
• But there is a possible world in which all the physical facts are the same as those of our world but in which there are additional facts. (For example, it is possible that there is a world exactly like ours in every physical respect, but in it everyone lacks certain mental states, namely any phenomenal experiences or qualia. The people there look and act just like people in the actual world, but they don’t feel anything; when one gets shot, for example, he yells out as if he is in pain, but he doesn’t feel any pain.)
• Therefore, physicalism is false. (The conclusion follows by modus tollens.)”

Although considered as being a logically valid argument (if the premises are true, the conclusion is inferred), the truthfulness of the second premise has been invalidated by many philosophers. One such invalidation has been provided by an outstanding cognitive scientist and philosopher Daniel Dennett. Dennett and philosophers like him hold that “while consciousness, subjective experiences, and so forth exist in some sense, they are not as the zombie argument proponent claims they are; pain, for example, is not something that you can just strip off a person’s mental life without bringing about any behavioral or physiological differences.”

 

Daniel Dennett

 

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Listen to “Going Under” by Evanescence from here. The video clip shows people turning into zombies (not philosophical ones though!!)

“Going Under”

Now I will tell you what I’ve done for you -
50 thousand tears I’ve cried.
Screaming, deceiving and bleeding for you -
And you still won’t hear me.
(going under)
Don’t want your hand this time – I’ll save myself.
Maybe I’ll wake up for once (wake up for once)
Not tormented daily defeated by you
Just when I thought I’d reached the bottom

I’m dying again

I’m going under (going under)
Drowning in you (drowning in you)
I’m falling forever (falling forever)
I’ve got to break through
I’m going under

Blurring and stirring – the truth and the lies.
(So I don’t know what’s real) So I don’t know what’s real and what’s not (and what’s not)
Always confusing the thoughts in my head
So I can’t trust myself anymore

I’m dying again

I’m going under (going under)
Drowning in you (drowning in you)
I’m falling forever (falling forever)
I’ve got to break through

I’m…

So go on and scream
Scream at me I’m so far away (so far away)
I won’t be broken again (again)
I’ve got to breathe – I can’t keep going under

I’m dying again

I’m going under (going under)
Drowning in you (drowning in you)
I’m falling forever (falling forever)
I’ve got to break through

I’m going under (going under)
I’m going under (drowning in you)
I’m going under