Just an observation. I run/power walk 4-5 before dawn every day. My consciousness is along for the ride, but most of the time it's doing it's own stream of thought, elsewhere. Once in a while I'll be startled by a noise in the bushes next to me... and the process is interesting. The noise is heard in the closest ear, then the further away ear. The subconscious measures the difference in time between the sound reaching the ears, six inches, at the speed of sound, and somehow calculates it's precise location. The subconscious then searches my memory to see if the sound is familiar and non-threatening or unfamiliar and potentially threatening. Judgement made it sends a strong message, millions of neurons firing, to my consciousness along with goosebumps along that side of my body, quickened pulse, released hormones and I'm sure other stuff I'm not aware of.
I guess my point is that the subconscious is really doing all the heavy lifting. I won't defend these stats and really don't think anyone knows, but I've heard that the human brain uses 20-25% of the bodies energy, much higher than any other mammal. And that the subconscious uses 94% of the energy that the brain uses.
Who is to say that parts of our subconscious don't have their own, very separate consciousness? As distinct and invisible to ourselves, as our consciousness is to each other? How could this six pounds of organic material make all those calculations and take those actions, in a few nanoseconds, without some form of its own, individual consciousness?
Just thinking out loud.... |
