Is consciousness an illusion?

[Robert]

So much of what we see is an illusion. For example, we all have a blind spot in our vision because where the optic nerve attaches to the retina there are no photoreceptors, so this area of the retina cannot respond to light stimulation. The reason we don't usually notice this blind spot is because the brain fills it in for us. So, to see a continuous field of vision is an illusion because in reality there should be a big hole in our visual field.

Another illusion. Look at a light that is flashing at 40 times a second and it looks like it's flashing. Now, increase the flash rate to 50 times a second, and then 55 times a second. It still looks like it's flashing, only faster now. However, once you increase the flash rate to more than 60 times a second, the light appears to be continuous, i.e not flashing. The light is solid, continuous, no longer irritating because it isn't flashing anymore. Except it is... at 60 times a second.

Now take a computer, or chatbot, designed to simulate human thought. It stutters, repeats itself, looses context, and forgets, but increase the quality of programming, memory, processor speed and it stutters less, remembers more, repeats itself less. Now continue with these improvements in memory, programming, etc. and, suddenly the computer is conscious. Except it isn't. It is still a computer that is simulating a conscious person.

Now we have a man who has inherited the genes for alzheimers. At 40 this man is bright, articulate, has a quick mind and a strong memory. At 60 this same man has faded a little bit. He is still fun to be around but has trouble remembering what to say, his memory is not what it used to be, he is slow in responding and repeats himself. At 80, this same man now stares at the wall most of the day, urinates in his pants, does not recognize his own family, and repeats nonsense words over and over. This man is no longer conscious it would seem. Or, was the consciousness of this man at 40 only an illusion.

[yogi]

Is consciousness an illusion? consciousness is an interface thru which the observer percieve this illussiory cosmos as to be real. observer = as in a quantum phenomena = as soul in philosophy = as experimentor in science = as I in this bodily conception = as God the Creator, maintainer and Terminator of this cosmos and who is totally independent of his creation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- cosmos as illusion - because our 5 senses can not provide us with complete knowledge meaning true nature of matter of the cosmos.A 3 dimensional brain is incapable of comprehanding N- dinensional cosmos. sincerely, yogi

[ZenClone]

This world is an illusion.

[mkirkpatrick]

No it is not,what is the illusion,is the relative world that inhabits the in-formed and shaped intention made form-al.?

kind regards michael.

[unvanqx]

illusions?
not to me!
example one: brain just does not process signals from the eye senses accurate in time - we are perceiving the past at most (you may call that an illusion - but not really!) - if a blind spots exists is irrelevant as it is all done in the brain - sure you can try mindwise or otherwise to perceive downgraded=in detail but that requires alot of energy of your brain and training - or technology disturbing/supporting your brain.
example two: human brain would not lack power in general to process even 100/sec or more but that does not make sense to a human and what it has evolved into - to cope with such a task it would need training and probably looses speed in thinking and memory in relation , etz. - you probably can make a near-machine out of a human if working with flashing light in various ways - sure i guess you must start in the early age of an individual - did you ever watch a camera flash-light in the complete dark - it does not hurt but it really "burns" the picture available during the flash into your visual memory - cool - i found that out by myself when i was 8 or 9 years old.
exmaple three: everyone who knows that he/she is chatting to a chatbot probably keeps in mind more or less (depends on the individual probably) what he/she is doing
- a human can also imitate another human easily with a machine in between or even a chatbot can be imitated by a human - you lack reality in this medium i guess - if you put a machine in between - thats why computer games etz. are not that bad for many.
exmaple four: that man is classified sick to me - if i loose my legs tomorrow plus develop alzheimer and the days after i say: my legs were just an illusion - i have alzheimer - but i probably do not know - because my brain is sick.

[mkirkpatrick]

No unvanqx,consciousness is not the illusion,it is the relative universe that we inhabit is!


regards michael.

[mkirkpatrick]

Consciousness will remain a reality to us all,until that is we no longer need it?




regards michael.

[everymansmedium]

Hello My friends:

I must say!!!

It is all that we have that is safe from the illusion. For no matter if I dream or not “I AM” The fact or fiction of a dream only changes the state of “ I AM” , not the existence of which.

What would you illusion with, if not your consciousness?

John.