, 6MY'"

S'~<;U1..'Trv. IVOlUTIOS .... IY TI lot !tUNIl OF CONSC IO U$SIESS

Tho tho<wy •• ;...u, r.-. otIoctift upaI mIIM""" .. ,~ to ""' .. ;, ........ Aboathol(.boIooaJan .... __ ~ ................ "ylO~

1ht-1--s"'''''~ ....... G~dIiI-.......wfocuaUlD< ........ ~ -.01. To .Ift<t, •• " ~ ond dq>Ioflto own_1ion.J "'-.\he bnloI nndod • ............,. upd>tcd -.lot .... aI~, ThiI II'IOdcI "'011 __ tdItrn>Iic and lacLns in doI>tlI.w .. d "'on,;but"'!! • tonIria MUI'ON! mo<hintry 10 oh. .. If, rho ......J..I.aribuled to the .. 1f on .. prri<tIn "'X_Ill< pn:>rert)' albrintl ,-'-"'_h1ns-juo ... Ihe brain tould dltM "lon_to .. 1<1'noI >ip>olo Of 10 Irn"""" sop>I ... hor mod.l ", ...... 1_ toIIId "'''I.,u< 1Oth< .. If. ~ aI UltnI.OI non" 01 of ~ -. Ju INlIlllldol ~ in MF'*k'46oB, ~ am. to be Idod - """'10 pol< ON" -.. oa--. but lor. ~....rr'" odwr I""t-·" ....... ........--, .... bn!p.No"\iD _______ II.Uy pon "' ...... ...-"-""apobIo. III tboo ~... fIDft'gfd in ...... "*'" ____ m...d '" tho aII'IEr<II '" __ ..,.j COD'· ... to

..................... • ., ....... tho tt-rCXf'l-.....,.. br.aio ~ doe pooponyol to iUdf;.-;I.....,. ... ~ _ 00 prwM to

........ III dot poopIr ..... ....,..,.""""'" .... ~ Hydno

....... 'f'I"""- $ I, llO ........ ,.... ... (MYA) with .............. 0Ip0I

....... ".uWIllI -.10 IbM do ....... o.iottM "Sf\OI ~ diftrJ!< '-N<h oIhor iIf'I'">UI'IOItIy HO MYA, .......... !hoc ....... """'l<Ii<~ lOp d ... " ..... troIoI ... .,,_ ~ &.,on N<h odwr approxin>.II.1y liO MYAr pru...... lint""",", "I'I'f"'Iitnatfly6$ MYA I homlnkk;oppe>r "f'I'mIIm.oItly6 MyAI ' ............ 'flPt'" >ppn)Iim"t.tyU MYA

"

-

Consciousness

and the Social Brain

Michael S. A. Graziano

LO\}

OXFORD VOln .. ,,,"'"

10 I CONSCIOUSNESS ANO TlU SOCIAlUAIN

Hpbining my tnms, -uruns no ttdllliHl knowINge on 1M pMt

olllw In<kr. To IIw neurosdmfuu ~ cognitn" ~ 1 ~ if my expWutions ~ moft roIIoqui.d rIw\ is ryp;aI III ~ 1_ moft ~ with HpI.Uruns~ tIwl With praonlling det.ul. To IIw II<InHpMS, I apologl' tfllw descript>ooI = """~UT>H a Lltlt: wonkish, especWIy in IIw KCOnd IWf of tht: book.. I tried to .Ir;u a NIarn.

My JIIlrpost' in this book is to Hpbin tht: new tht:ory in a tlrp-by­Mep m~nntr, to lay out tome of the! mdt:ncc thaI supports it, and to poin, OUI the pps wMre the rvidenct ~ ambiguous Of Jw yd 10 come In. Esptewly on the topic of consciousnesa, I'~ dlKo\O't~ how euy il is for pNpIt to IW/"· ... Itn 10 on idu, po?onhok ii, and thnmy connnimtly dISmiss it. My task In this book is to try to Hpbin lhe thtor)o dnrly mougI! dut I an rommuniQlt at WI _ of wtw i, has to 011"«.

None of uti koows for cnu.in how the bnin pn:t<llK\'l conaaou.. ness, but IIw :mtntioot sclwnu ~ Ioob promismg. It upWns the main phtnolllffll.lt is JogiaI, ron~ptWlly wnplt, testable, and iIln:~y has MlppoI1 from a nng.: of pm-iouI Gpmmtnb.1 do not JIIlI 1M thtory in opposition 10 t/w, tiuft Of four other major nturosc::itn. lific news of consciDu$ness. R..th«, my ~rwdt fusa many PTeVlOUS thwrits ond Un.es of thought, building a dnglt: conceptual fnmtwort., combining ilrtngth .. For all of I~ reasons, I am tnthUSiastic about IIw I~ IS • ~ aplan;.tion of IIw nund-of corll<iownas ltsdf-and I am e.,-tocommunicatt IIw thtor)oproptrly.

i

2

Expb.lning ~ ~ttmtion KMma theory is not dtffic:ult. E%pWning why II is ~ good IhMt}', ~lId how.t mfthu with uining evidence, II much more dIfficult. In thit duple!" [provlde;lJ\ ~rvitw " fthe: theory, acknowkdg.ng thai 1M Oftrvirw by ;~I( i5 IInhkely to con­VinCe many people. The purpoH of the: chapter Is to set out tho: idas thai ..... 11 boo mbor.IlW throughout tht: rnrwnd,., of 1M book. ~ war 10 appwch tht thtoryis througI\ IOd.\I pe.a:ptbL If you

noba: 1Uny ~ attfntion 110 the: coIfec Sbm on .... .tw1. whm you _ tht wrectJon ofHmy" F, the ap1U5ion on his &Ct, and his ges­tum u he touches tht: 1I~ln,;md wlltn you put :all thotc dues into a m ·

tat your bnin doH JOmdhing quite specific: it artribu\C!S ~WOUl'I>QS to H.uTy. Harry is aware ohhe JtWl on his dUrt. M.1dUMI')' in your brain, in thtcimutrythat putidpoII:~ in JOCUI proupOon, isapm .r. thn bsk

ol~~lOodwr~ll5eeSanotherbr~ CJ'HI;Uft; ixusing itI computing.-.urce on:an 1IftJ1 and ~ the tonstr\OCt t!UI pn10n Y ill ~ of dung X. In tht: thewy prt>pOSN in

thLJ book, the AIlW maduntry is wg;;aged in attnbutint!; ;IW.wroess to

)'OUISdf- in rompulmg t!UI you are -= ofthJngX. A s~ilic network of bn in arcU in the a;,..,bn[ corta i5 tOrr­

cWIy :KI:iw during JOdal thinking, when people e"g.>.S" with other ~t and construct !deu about othu people', minds. Two b .... i" ~ m JW1icuLu "nd to aop up repeatedly in upmmtnts on socWthinLng. n-~ an: al~ the: supmor tnnpor.>l

"

12 I CO NS CIOUSNESS ANO THE SOCIAL "","IN

sulcus (STS) ~ tM tl:mporo.pcict~ junction (TPJ). I WIll t-.: I1'IOR 10 Ay Wou! ~ bnin >rnS Ihrougbolll Iht book. Whn.

tMK ~ of the ~ (ana are ~ peopl~ an JUffrt" from a atutrophlC dmuptioo of __ ren$. 1M dininl J)'JIdrom~ Is n11cd rwgIKt. II Is a loss of aWMentsil of obj«U on one silk of $~. While il ( ;I.r1 ~ aused by donuge 10 a O';l~ ofbrain areas, il

lurns 011110 be especwly (omplne ond 10ng·lul,ng oftrt" d:unaS" to

the Tl'J or STS on Ihe righl $id~ of the hr.'n.'~ Why ihould a person lOSt. p.>rI of hll or he. own aw:orencss

.ftc • .umaS" to a part of th~ ooci.1 m;Khinuy l Thc re$lIlt ;1 M1m~ urnes vicwN U (onlndictory Of (ontro~;.l. But 0 ' imple upl.· ~tlon mighl work !>ere. M.~ lhe samr rT\iI( hlnery responsible for attributing aware""' to atMr Pf'Oplc ~so particip;iICS In (on-1oUUCI."II on,'. own owueMSI and attribulins it to oneself. Jom II you can compute that Harry is .... .on ofsom,thtng. SO 100 )'<)11 an compute ""1 you yourwlf >Jl' awue of somWu,,& The theory

prop<>Kd ,n Ihls book ... .., fint dHCnbed &om thi. pcnpect'"' of IOCilI MUl'OKi,,,,,l'." ~ of conoriou<ncsI, Maule they are efl«ti~1y ~

of the ...w. tmd to h.>."" {u·rcKhing aoItural, tpuilU.ll, and pcrtiOfI->l implicatio .... If COIlJClOUSIltili Is • construct of the IOCW rTIiIChiMl'}', if this 1IClCb11Nldtlncry attribules ~ness 10 oth~n and to ~lf. then Pc""'-p5 • g:rc.t '""S'" of ottnbulN conKiouI mirwis_ gods, angdI, dnib, Iplrits, ghoots. the COfISdousnaI: _ anribute to pdf, 10

otlwr pcopIo, and the ~ ..... oonIiokntly anribuk 10 0IIf­

~_ ..... ~ of the Amr ~ prucea. Tht 5pIrit

world and ill nn.d dmacno moy be CIONtrurtI ofthr -'at machin­«'f 11'1 the hunwo bwl\, models of minds attributed 10 the obj«u and ..... """""-In thIS book 1 will touch on aU oftbele topK$, froot the Kicnoe of ~ \wa.tt arcu to lhe """" phiIotoptucal qumions of mind and 'f""iL lhecmph.>.aiJofthe book,~, ison the theory it$r:lf-the attention Khcnu tMory ofhow. brain prod"'es ~rentif,. Th~ pur_ f'OM ofthl, ch.plu is to provid. an ;mtlo! <kKriptlon of th, theory.

-

Consciousness and Awarene!OS

One of Ih~ biggHI obstxIes to discussing consc:iousMM iI the grr~t rruny ddirutloru of it 1 lind t1ut couven.ttionl go in c,rcIes bK:a..,..

of trrminologinl confusion. The lim order ofbwinHI illo ddin.e my use oflWO key tenns.1n my a~""n«, people hn.:~, quirky definitions of the lerm cOfUrioWIItU, whell'l.$ ~ryone more orlm agrea on Ihe meanIng ofthe term "..." .... ~tu. In this sKlion, fOr darity, I draw a distinction bet",",n cotu(iol.lsnen and a .......... nm. Many such distinctions ha~ been made In the pout, and hell' J

dncribc 0"" W<ly 10 parcel out the conc~pts. Figure 2.1 d~grams 1M proposed reblionsh,p bctWl'en the

temu.. The .meme Ius two components. The lint component is 1M informalion aboul which I :un a~ I am aW<lIl' of the room around me, the lOUr><! of traffic from the strftt wt1ide, my own body, my own thoughts and emotions, the memones broughl up in my mind allhl: mOmnlt All oftMw itans are enc:ooXd in my bR;n:as chunks of informalion. 1 am aware of I grral dlven'!y of [nfumution. lhe H'Cond componen t shown in th~ diagnm il the XI ofbeing ...... ,re of thl: infonnation. That, of cou~, is the mystery. Not :ill infonnation

~ICU.I t .1

0... W"'f to d.fine~ and ..... ,-. ~ iI iDduoi>'t, and """'""- illJf""d6<..:t >ppticJ to tho: ~ th.>I iI in,," b_

U I CONSCIOIJSNESS AND THE SOCIAL 'RAIN

in tm bnin his awarrneM _Md to it. fAdM, II\OIt ofit does not.

Sonv ""In thing or pn>eeSJ mlUl be mj~ to m.lU "'" a..nn of a 5p«iDc chunk of .ruormmon in my bninll a pu1iaaLu ume..

Iu $hown in 1m wn~ ~ I ..... 1m tnm tDfUOOIUIOt.U incIu­

,,,, .. Iy. It nfers both to 11K Lnfontution about whio;h lam a..nn and

to u.., plOUS4i ofbeLnS a .... n "fit. In dii,IeMme, ,~<U IJ the mon: ~ner.ll I~rm and mo ... rmw Ihe mo'" 'pl!'Cific. Comciousne'" ...,oom~S$ft the whok of person..! ape';"nc .. at any moment,

wher .. n aWOl",n"", applies only 10 on .. ~", 1m acl of "JJH'rienc­

Inl-I ;>(knowllNl~, h"","er, WI olherPfllpl .. may haveaLt"nu.tin !klilllliol1$.

I hopo tho: prcs.enl ddinitions will help 10 avoid cm;un types of

o;onl"U$OOn. For eumplc, IOmoe t hinkers h.t .... insisted to me, "To ""pLUn oonsciouu>at, JOU mUSl apWn how 1 "P""'ntI!' toIor, touch, tern­ptflIun. the (;lW wnsory fed ofthi!' ...-or\d." 0tMn ha.... insisted, 10 apUin ~ )'00 must t:lpWn how I know who I un, how I know that I ~ ben, Il0>0.'1 know tNt 1 ~ a penon di$tinct &om the rI!'II of the worId." )"el od>en have saki, "To aplain oonsdousnns,

you must ""plain memory, h«:auM a1~"8 up rmmorin 8' .... 1M my Hlf-ldentrty."

Exh oflhese ruggmions in ... l .... an 'W3JI!'n$ of • $p«i6c type

of knowllNl~. upl.'ning sdf-knowledge, for eumple, i, in prin­

ciple ""'y. A romPUlet abo "knows" w .... 1 It is. It Iw an informo.· rion file on ib own ~~ II Iw • memory of itl prior IIltn. SeIf·1tnowIedgo: is rnneIyanotlvra~ of\nowledge. How know\­..... an be encoded in 11K bnin is not fund.umnully mysterious, b.1I

haw _I>ecor!w ...... '" of the lI\I'onmtion it. Whether I am .-... of myself ill a person, or .-... of tho: fed of • cool brteu, or ~ of. color, or _ of an emodon,. tho: -..... ibdI'is the mysttry to be apbmN. not the 'f'«llic mm.iedge ;about whid! I am lWMI!'.

The purpose of this book .. not 10 aplain the COnt...,1 of con­SCIouJn$. It is not 10 apbin th .. knowledge that gen .. r.illy oompoKi

conscious ....... II Is no( 10 npWn memoriQ or Hlf.understanding

or emollon Or vision or louch .1he purposo of th .. book lIto p ..... nl

IntroducIIIg tho Thoo<Io)o I 1 S

, tMory of aw.l.ll'nHS. How can _ bKonw aw.l,ll' of any infurmo· 'bon "am WJUI 1I;;LiCd 10 produa ~_? I..,U ~ that thr adtkd ~I ... iudf, infomWion. II ;, infomu,tion 01 a ~ ~ dw KrwI a spcafic function. The following scctiolll Mgin with 1M rd.tJorWUp bttwHn.warenm; and irtiorrNlion, and p . ..ally bwld 101M att..,tion scM""" theory.

A Squirrel in the Head

In till' KCtion, [ WiC an unusual uamplt 10 UJWlrale the ide. tNt

.mll'_ might be inl'onmtion instmtia\fd in lilt brain. I had a f'n.tnd who ~ • dtnia.I ptYdloIopt. He once told mt

~I • pat~nt of hi$. The p;>tmIt was cklusional md thought tNt M .... d • $<[uin'd inside his Mad. ~ was "mam of il. No argument could coovm« hlm oti>t ... Ue Ht mighlagm: t .... 1 tht condition was physau1ly impossibk or illogKal, but his $<[UUTtlnw Iwu«n<IN ph~ or logic.. You could uk him why M was SO convinc~, and M would Il"pOri thattht $<[uiml ~ nothing to do wIth him bting con­

vinc~ or not. You rould uk him ifhe kit fur and d ..... on \hf Insidf

of hi I ,kun, and he would "'y, although the $<[ul ...... l did ....... fur .nd <1. .... , hi' btliefhoul nOlhlng 10 do wilh Kn,ing thoK fulull'S. The $<[uiml was .imply thell'. He knew it. He .... d direct ao::t$S to his squlmlneu. inJte;ui of [)HeartH's famous pbrut, "CogiIO frgO 111m," th;, rTWl'S Jiogan could ha ... bKn, "Squirrd ergo Iqwrrtl" Or,

to bt t..;hnk;ai, "SOunda ergo .,;iuri<k" The lqull1l'l in the rTWl'l Mad poses two inldl«tu;al problVl\l.

Wt moght call1iwm 1M easy problem and the hard problem. The easy problem is 10 fi~ 0111 h .... a bnm mlgt\! am ... at that

condusionwilh lUcharUlnry. Thebrain isminfomution'pro<:essing dt'toc:e. NO! all 1M inl'omuoon " .. liable to il and no! all ill intenW proceue$ _ perfect. When. person introspecu, his or her brain

i, ;\CCt$Smg intem;o] data. If Iht intenW <Lola is wrong or unrulis"

tic, the bra'" will arr;'.., at a wrong or u"ll'.liSI" conclusion. Not

16 I CONSCIOUSNESS "NO HIE 50CI"~ IR"IN

ooly mighllh( cond..won b( wrong. but I~ blain mighl incorftct!y assign a high ~ of c:eruinty 10 il.iAvd of «T1.mty ill aft(r ~1 a

compul~lion lhat. hu all compuUlions. un go awry. ~p~ hi .... bHn known 10 be dud ((rUin of ~I(ndy ridkulous and fllM infor­

mallon. All of I~ ennIS in compuuuon .'" und(lSlan,bbk, al ~a" in grMnI W'TI\S. Th( man'lI brain h:ad n'llkndy conlllnKln! a dHCriptlon of a lIqui ..... l in hill hud, compld( wilh bushy un, daws, and be:ady ey(" His cogniliV1: nuchin(ry aC(~S(d tlul dHCripllon, i",ometly assign(d a high artainly of ",alily 10 II, and ",portn! i i ,

So much for Ih( tuy problem. But th(n , .... '" is the h¥d problem. How on a bnin, a melT

>swmb~( of MUrons, .-.It in an arnWllqu,rrd ,nsi<k th( man', M:adl How il 1M squirrel producn!l WMIT cJ(I(S the fur come froml Wh(1T do the cUwi, 1M wi, and 1M beady hn~ ~ come from l How does all Uut rich compl6 "Iul ..... I""1I' tmr'le1 Now thai Ii a Vff)' hanl probh:m indH<i, II -=m. physkally impossible. No known process on Iud from n(urotUi cirruitry to lIqui...,l

Whalls the magic! If we aU shun! that man'l delusion, if It w(1T a ubiquitous tU­

tUIT of the human brain, if it ~'" evolutionarily built Into us, ~ would be IIdenllfic~lIy .Iumped by that hanl problem. W( would introsptd. find tht lIquiml in us with all illl Sl""'w properties, be (nuin of illl uiSlrna, <kscribe it to (xh other, and agtft colin:·

t, .... 1y .hat .... exh ~ it, And ytt .... would ""'~( no idu bow 10 upb,n the jump from newon.al circuitry to squ;""I, We would hoi .... no id(1 bow to upWn the mystroous dl5<lppwana of the IIqWr'

rei on wtopsy. Confronted With a phl\osophkal, uislrntial conUll'

drum, .... would be forrcd into th( dualist ~tion IhoIl the bnin II _how both a !>Wrona' machin( and, 1I the sam( time:: on I , hight:r plant, a squirrrl.

Of CO\I!St. Ih(1T ill no b.Ird prob~m beausr tbeIT is nO actual squi ..... 1. The man's brnn contilios a deJ<;ription of. squir!"(l, not an

;lCl1.ul squirrrl. When you considu it, an actu~' squlrlTl would be an elItlTm(1y poor explanation for hi! belitfi. and booholvlor, ThelT is no

• ... 1.","-,",-,,1"

obvio\l$ medl .... 'sm 10 gel (ram ,~\lUTd Mlm~how ~rted inlO his head 10 Ius ckasoon, ~d; cffl<1inty,lII$iskn«, and rqJOrt ,bout II. PosIubtmg tlullM~ it :on KtWJ "I.u,owl ~ not help upbin ~ny' Ih",& I suppoM' III , plu!0$0pIuaI_ you could Ay 1M sqwowl O>SU, 001 II UlJI$ U uU'orm,;atlon. It uiilS U a damption.

I JUggc$t WI when the word '91'1,..1 iI rq>bad WIth tho word • 'bid&, the 1opc:mn.ll1lII tht-.. "~thanltitil uwdeus. Weluvr ~ 0ICttSII1O ,to W~ &n!' cnUU! _ hlV!! II. We agrHOIl;1:5 Nsk prop'

~ Bul wbn-e: doft the If\MI' Iitdins COIM &om! Haw an_ possoblr~.IIt III Howan _ opWn the jump from p/lysial bDtn 10 rthe~~ aWlnnt:U! Hawan _lOIW the IwU probItml

Tho ........... nuy be tNI tMft It no Iwd ptoblem. Thr •• m .... ""_~· " consaow ttpti Kia_the WI. dlws, and ~ of it 10 10 ~U; tho ~the~the~~andthe~~~ ib ghootIy po .......... onsido: our boWn;ond etptri>Uy insJdt our M~­thr.r propntJn mq be upWn.ibk .as romponml5 of A daoipb~

mOOd. 1hr bmn doe not ronwn ~ dungs: it COPUiN.1. Jtscr,pIioto of!lon.e thinp- 6nons &n!' good II c:onsti\lCllng daa'lptioru T things. At It~ m rnnorle it Is euy 10 undmt:ond how I bmn • consuud infonnation, how II Illig.ht 00IlIItn>d .1. dtWItd, rich descnpbon of,-," ing.J.OXIKious oPl'""nor, of ~;omnnes, howit moghl.sn

a !ugh drs- of CfttUnty 10 tIu! daaibed stU, .and how it moghl san do¥ onformaoon;ond IhudIy irwst tIu! il iw 1M ~~

In lru, cue ofth~ man who lhoughl M Iud IJqWnd on his h~..d, _ CllI dl$lruM Ius «rtliIIly .u a Mlw;ion. Thr dtlusion so.rves no

adipt,ve function. [I it lunnfuL [I impedtt nonnaJ n'ffy.by fune·

Dolling. funk goodnuI rew of Ill' tu.... tlut dtlw;ion.1 am deddtdly itOIlIIW'Iing Uut a~MJ11 is a MIUllOn. In th~ attention Kh~ma th~ry, aW>l~ne5ol is not a hannful tfI'Oi" bul i",ltild :an ;ac!.optivr, out·

fuI, IIItnn;oJ modd. Bul lilte 1M 5quind in the hud, il Is a dacnp­!ion Or.1. thong. nOl tht IhllIg ,tself. The dWlengt oflht thtory is 10

ttpbln why a br.lin Jhould opend tIw ene'IY on constructli1g such ~ tlabont~ desmrlKln. Wlut il its 1.ISO'1 Why conslrue! infom ... · lion llul describa luch a puticuLor coIkctiop of ~1 \\/by

,. I CONSCIOUSNESS ... ND THE SOCIAL ..... ,N

.... inMr ~! Why an innt1' fed",!! Why IlIat speak dhe· ft.al rtImomh'p btt .. !m 1m' ad • Ihint; of which I :un lW'lft! If 1M bnln Is to construct descnpbON of itself, why ronstn>CI lb., id*yncmic OM, and why is il to ~ at 10 be ft~y-bwh in,o 1M bnim of lImost :oil people! Tho: OltItntion KMm.l tMory is

I propoK<l.lU_r 10'''- questionJ.

Arrow B

~lgll'" 1.1 d>owt ont "'"Iff .0 <kplCl .h! ",La,ionshlp bctwH'n ",n· Kiousntst and ,M bnin. Almost .U Kitnllfic wor\ 011 ",nscious­_ r..c..sa on Arrow fl.: t..:r.. doa the Imoin produa: In lW2J'!tltst

~, )

A",

L ~

(

• • _. -. , • .,-, ,

b'

f'Gtl.~ t.1

... ~_. whido ____ o-.roltoon .... p"-'oi

..-....-.. IhtIonon(_ ... ).A~"' ............. Ihtbmt.·. '"""-"'" 1"_ , (_II), ...... ~ bo IINbIe to..., ............ ~-

1nttoducIrIg .... '"-' I 19

ofJoo ... thingl G~!~ tho! thr mIn proc:eua Infomution, howdo

"'" borcom~ aw;tll' of th~ infocmation? But Ill)' IUdUI thn>ry of con­~ must a1.., tkal with Anuw B. On« roo h.a..., an ~ _ of $OI11dhlns. how does thr f~H,,& ;tJel(im~ thr "",.......w ",.,dunn-y, such thai th~ preKlKIO of ~ can M "'port..!l

One of the only truths abolo! OWiIren6I th.at Wt can know with

objcdl..., (trtalnty is th.at _ can uy t"'l ~ ... ..., It. Of cou .... , "'"

don't "'port all our conscious uprrienclt$. Somt a", probably un"'· porubk.l;o.ngua~ i. a limit..! m~;um. aut Ncause,..., can, . l ltUI

IIOmd;mta, say that we a'" 1WOl'" of Ihi, or that, Wt <;an ltam so""'" thing .,bout a ..... ",norM il5C'lf. Spe«h I, a ph)'Jiul, m".surabl<: act. It

it a.ued by the action of mu~ which a", ronlf'OU..! by """,rons, which operale by mmipuLotJOfl and tnrumi.sslon of in(""",,lion.

WI\.>Ie¥H ~"""'" is, it must "" abk 10 p/l)'JicaUy impact Ml.lfOIl,l\ t-Ign.>lf- OthHW;K _ would "" un.tbk to Soly I"'t ~ Iu..., il and I

..-ouIol not M writIng this book. It if WIth Arrow D thallIIlII)' oftM common nobON of ~

f.aiL It II one thing to theorize about Arrow A, about how the function­ing of the bnuo might resull In aw~ But if your theory \ads an AmNI D, If It fails to upWn how thee~t awa",,,,,,"""" physiaJly awt specific $ignals In specific ntUJ"OrIs, ~h tlut sp«<:h <;an occur,

thtn your th~ fad.! to '""plain tbe ant known objective property of awueneu; "'" an at le:lSl somdin>e$ 5o\y that we ""..., It. M"'t theories

of conKIouSMSI "" magiaI in two ways. Fint, Arrow A is magical. How lWUI:'ne:M tfl"W'rses from the brain iJ unexrW-i S«ond, Arrow

Bisougical.How~(OOtroIltlxbramif~ This probkm of ~ ....pc d..sappun If ____ is iN""",,-

lion. The brain It, after all, an ~.~ dcvn. For an Inforrnat>on.procuoing <kvia to n'poI"I tNt it Iw: \nn<"r, ~ cxptl kne., it muse (OOUin wrtIuro it \nforTn3tion to tNt dftct. The rognltl..., nuchlnery """ tl\t'n iIIXdS that infOfl1\WOfl, ",ad 01, JUIDIN.­

~ it longuiSikally, and pl"O'li& a -nrml rrport to thr ouuidr worid. One of the nice pi"Of"'rtin; 01 a delCfOptlon iJ that almoat anything

(an "" ddcriMd, ~n thingsthat ""plIy$kallyimpoM1bIe or 10gkaIIy

~I DC' nugiaI. Sud. u Gandalf'the w-JUni. Or Esdwr-hb in/iniIe suarcua. Or a squirrd in the he..d. Sud. thinp an ~ JWIIIN mal much nuanced 1kwI<1S on<: \iUs in t1wlOrmof tnfomW1on. E,-. ,fth$ thinp don'l nistal such.lhtran be dt:scribcd.1f' ~ is

,wnbrd by 1M broln .... Ibn than produud by Ihr: bnin, then uplun­ins its prope:rlio$ bKome5 oonsKItr.obly ~~.

SuppoM lhal you an looking al l grfffI obj«t and h.>..." iCOn· scious up"rieM~ of ~nroe~ In th~ V1~W thai I ;un suggeiting, tho: brain conbit" a chunk o(inform;UiQn I~ d6cribet the 'UI~ of ~ ric:ncing, and il conwns a chunk 01 inl'orm.ltioo thaI deKn~ spe:c­In! grrcn. Those twochunkl an bound logrtMr. ln thal..ny, 1M broun computes al.u'ger, compooitt<kscription 01 uptntndng pA. ()nu,

that cktcnption il in ~ other mxhitwry ~ 1M df:scnptxm, ~ lnfornutJon from It, JWJIIl\UIUS ii , and an wrtWru II.

The brain can, afttr all, rqxrt onIr the infornulion that it tw.. 1lu< appro.>th to ~ is dq>Ictrd scl>mutially in F-su .... l.3.

'Ihisqlpl'OiChiJdrtplyunsatUfying_hlchdoesnot ;ugue~ it A theoty does not need 10 be ~tisfymg to be ~. The appro¥h IS

unsatwy"'8 pvtly bfgUSf it tD.es -'Y some of tIw magk- II ~ys, in

rffed, tIw .... dna IU~ fffling ,rui<k, alleall not qu'l~ u peopk

1

FICll lI B 1.1

1nI~ tho 'IMo<y I 21

Iurt typoally unagmoed IL lNl:e~ tMn: ill , <kKription <If ~ving a

I«\u18 and , ~ otfUlnty tNt tlw <kKripbon ill iKcw:ol~ iUId not mndy a dacopbon. 1M bnon, IClftSIng tNt in/'onNbon, an \hen act on tbr ""'Y' tNt we knaw ~Ie to ad-i1 an decioX tNt i1 tw .. iloIbJKbft fffhns. and ,I an Wk .. bout tIw: ~w Ifthng.

The A ..... areness Feature

Wt'l uplorc furth« what it might me"" for awareness to "" a dtKnption Constru(tN by Muit..,. In the braIn, 'The brain is an

upert at COO$tr\Idlng okscriptiom. W""n you look at iUl apple,

JOU£ vlSUallySlrm encode. iUld combtne. rrw1y $e1UOl'}' features.. Som~ of !hue featurtS ~ dugrarnmed in Fogure 2.4. Perlups the

.&ppIe It V""- It 'I more Of It$s round. Perh.o.ps it'l movmg-roIhnz

to the righL SmWng of stunulus features lr.w:h.roIor and ~ and mouon mto " Jlnr,1e bTr l'qlte5O'nuuon has bt-en "ud,td intm'

'I\~ly, etp«wly In the doCIWn of ..".w p"rc~ptiOO.· I am lugguting thlt th~ p~rtyof lwoorenfll il ,noth.,rsuch

computed {uture, a del<ription, a chunk of information, that can "" bound to the lar&er obje<:! fil~. lh~ many chunks ofin{ormation

FIGU"II J.4

A_ ... ","""",ed rw.- A pcm appk .. .,.coded irI tho".....J t)'JI<m ... lei of tU ......... futum darnbed by ,h .... b ofkn~ tI\.I, ... _rod togetMr. Tho p<op<rty of ..... _ "'ish' ho .....,m.,. """""ted 1tJmw... r. ........ bound 10 tho mL

dq>lnf<l in F'guJ'l!' 2.4 a", connectf<l into a .;ngle ",p",sentation, a dtKription in which the greenness, the roundnas, the mo...,· IMnt , and Ihe proptrty of haYing a conKious uptnenc~, aM

~df<l togtther. My cognitive machinery can KCQII that mfor­mation, that bound ~~ntation, and rq>art on It. Hence the m..ch,nery of my b",;n can "'portlllat ,t il awall' of the apple and

ill features. In Ihis account, 'W;lll'nn-s LI infonnalion; it il a description;

it is a deK.iption of Ihe uptritncing of IOmrthing; and it is •

puception.bkt ~.Iure, in the ItnSO' that It can be ""und 10 other futu'e!! to hrlp form m o"erarching d","p\lon of an objecl.

I .uggt$t Ihal there is no other WJy for m infonnation-pmussmg drvKe,lUCh os a bnin, to conclude that it hu a consrious uptricnct att~ 10 an apple. It must corulrud an infom.,liorW description of the apple, an lnform.ltiorul description of conscioul: upcnencc, ;md bind the IWO logt1hrr.

1hr objKt don not need Ie be an appc. of 0ClUrW. The ~ .I"*"~ grrwnL Instr~ of visual iMxmation about an applt y""

could """" lOUd< inform.Don, or a '",WetlC"bliQn of a m:ath equation, or a ~ of an emotion, or a repr!'SCOtation of your own person­hood, or a rq>r<Sft\tltion ofthc: word. y"" art' "'~"'I! ,I thio momenL

A~ iIS.d"w.of~ could in prindpk be bound to any 01 thc:SO' ocher catrgorietl 01 informmon.. ~I~ y"" could be lWaJl' of

Ilw objoo;Is around 1""0 01 sigtllS and to\In&k, of inl~ conlenl, of )'OUr physic>l body, of your tmobon.aI _, of )'OUt own prnorW Idmlll:)'. "Ill could bond tho ~ fnrure to I!QIl)' d.ffnent typa of ...........

Why would tht bnin COftW1.OCt such I ttnngr chunk ofinforrna· tion ..rue. II repracnts 50mellung of ..... in the rnl world!

The br.l1ll cOl"Lltructs deocriptJOOS of ",a1 tnblie!! in the real world. Tho;>w dHcnptions may not alwaY' be I£CUnt ... They nay be simph­fird or KhtnullJ.l'd, bUI I~ generally Mikel IOmething useful to kno .... When 1M brain .n.ooo:\u infornabOO about Ihe colo. of an .pple, for Hamplt, lhal infQm1alion relates 10 "","tthing physically

~~I-wlnlengtlu ~lIecting from the ""{,,u~e of the apple. Wh>t Tul or useful pfOp"rty might "'" rq>rtKnud by this st~ chunk of information mat d~ri""" the Wlte of ""'ing awmo! Why attach an ·,..,q~ness feuu~' to the other, mo.., con~te fe~tures in order to nuU up Ihe b!'WI" <kJcription of an ~pplel

The theory un "'" put in a senlence, Awa~ntn i, a dncripbon of .ttention.

Awareness as a Ske tch of Attention

Whtn ~Ie use Ihe word ~lttnf"'" coIJoquWly, 11 Iw. nriety of munings. Ale you pay.ng ailtntion to my bookl1hc guy in the nUl office i, an attenllOn serlter. AttclIlJolI all shoppe,..! The term is alto used scientlficalty. In cognitiw psychology, It ..,(e,.. 10 an ~ed

WOIy of reading to incoming ltimuli. In neurosclen«, It refers to a Iyp" ofinleraction among si8IUls In the bnln. l am going to give you a IIWroscic-lIll$1'. p" ... pK1iw: attention ai, dota·handling mrthod III tht b!'WI. From now on, when I use the lerm alltnf",", I will mt"" il in thi' IIl(:hnlal, nturosdtnc.' Hnse.

In Figure 2.5, me circles rep~t romp"ling 5igruh: in the hrilii. These: 5ignals au somemlng like political ,andidatts in all tlection. Each signal W01"b to win a stronger voice and .lUpprQI

itl ntighbon. Attention is when one in tegrated HI of sig.w. rises in .mngth and oulcompeletl other sign ",I. Each signal can gain a boo.t from , nriety of """rca. StrollS umory Input, 00"""8 from the outside, QrI boost. puticulu 5ignal in thc brain (a bottom.up biu), or a high.level dccilioll in the brain (all boost. p;ortlndar sig­nal (a top-<Iown blu). As a winrung $Igml emerges and suPJ>ftiJCI compding slgnaU. .. it shouts louder ""d causes me comp"Ulion 10 hush, it gaLns a larger InflLmKC owr other pnKCl6ing in the brain and, thc.d"orr, O\'CI" ""'h>V>OI". Attendmg to an applt ....,ans thai the nffironal reprcscnliltion of the applt grows stronger, wiII:I 1M competItion of the moment, and JU~ 1M ~1It;>tioru of

Zt I CONSCIOUSNESS ANO THE SOCIA~ UAIN

~~~ .. -­............. - .... .... portI<>oIM ...........

1 1 1 o 0 -:::::..~

~ 0 O~" "/ O ...

~ ;",,",-0 0 0 -'~~J

.... .-u,SlpoIo, ........... 'IIoIJb'_ ......... ,.-._,

PICU IU! 1.5

"-... dw·1wIdlmtI m<thod. H .... ..ta...I all ... """ .. iIDtno.d. \"-..1 ....... at< ~ "" ponnno '" ~ krI .... -..a optem. Tho ......, .. ,.= '_ ............ ""*"' ..... .-, I i_ At..., -._~ ..... 'hocompet-.pinoiD~~ ..... 0UfF' M ........ ~ Tho WIftftlns 1qIftMD.- tct<ds 10

domiaor. f"IOC"'<I'lln .... br;w,...d r.b ... 1>0 ....... A oimdor dw-N.ndlir"l! ..... hod 10 r.boo.>gb. lOomot krI otbn bniD ryM ..... CIUUI<Ie!he ......... rystcm.

6

.... fGdudnsI .... ,..,..",.12S

OI'Mr 5timw... 1M ~pplo re~nu~ion an ~Mn more cully inllu­me. btluvoor. 1his deKription of attentlon il ""'~ on an accoun~ worktd out by Desimon. and colleagues, called the ·b,~~ compe­tition rnodd of attention ....... It Ilso Iw iOmt silruWny to a dusk KCOU/lt proposed by Selfridge In the 1950s c:.illed the "pmdemo· nt~m model."

Attention '" not WI;> mcodtd III the iKau:I; II is a d.:ob..hmdhng mtthod. It is ;on lSWLis something the brain dou, a procrd~..,. an .~nt pl'OCe5l. Signab com!,"' with each 0I'her and a "'"mn ~-hb bubbles rising up OUt of W1tn. As an:unuunca shift, a nnr winnn emerges. 'Thn-t is no reason for th.t brain to havt any Hplkit knowlodgc about the prDaH or dyrwnia of attention. Watn boils but Iw no know~ of'bow It does it. A aran movt but Iw no ~ ofhow II docs it. I am ~ hOWt'VtIj th.-It in addition to dams IttI'nlion, the bnin also comtrucu a ducnptil,lfl o£attention,. quid u.etm ofit to to IptH, and ~ is dw <kscription.

A Kh~ is a coherent "I o(information that, in a simphfied bUI u5(ful "'<lY, reprtstnU something more complu. In the prtStftt the­ory, a"'..-enes. ir an attention Khem •. It is not attention but rather • IoImplified, ~fUI description of attention. Awanneu ..nQ"'s the linin 10 un<krsund attenlion~ il1 dynamics, and its (onsrquence"

ConJiderthupplt III Figure 2 .•. lhebmn conJtructHhunU of IIllUnna!lon 10 dQcribot the colorof the apple, the wpt oftheapple, and t .... m.otwn of the appl~ TheM: fn!u"" are bound together to fonn I large" description of 1M applo. According to the present thNry, the br.lIn Ilso conSln";!' a chunk of infomWion to describot o~., OWn attention boeing focusN on the apple.

In Ihis Ihrory, _ • ..,.,eu is handled by 1M brain hkc color. Aw~ ;ond colo. are computed futures. '!hey :ore I'1!pl'1!Knl;>­lions. 'They rtpl'1!Senl Klmething ph)'l'icaJly real_ .... ""l.ngth in the case of coto', attention tIllhe cue of """"",ness.

lbe ''''"renH5 future can be bound 10 colo. lnd 10 many other ftatucu at Ih~ brain (OMtrucU illI ove.uching representalion of in ob~t. I( the objt<! il l g ..... n apple, ill reprfKnl~IOn in the

u 1 CONSC.OUSNESS AHO nit SOC'''l UA.N

brain ( ould M d~rne<I u v + A, whe .. V .undi for visual w~,,_ (fOtlndncsa, pnnn.J, II>(M:m~nt) and A nand. fnr th~ chunk of infnnn:;ation lhat dtp'ctI a.......,_ Cogn,uw '(aSS In tlW bow>d descnptoon al1o- the bn,n tn condud~ and .. pori not only that tM obj«t hu thii .mpe and IMt (nlor, this motion

~nd Ihat loc;ation, but tbat Ih~ propert1U come ... lIb ........ nn .

futcd \(I them. If,he hypothoo II COfT«I. if .... a"'nelli. a Kb~ma that d~..:ribrs

att~ntlon, lhen we Ihould br able to 6nd $U1lilariliu brtw«n 1\''1''''

"" ..... .1 attentinn. lh~ lirni!.vitics ha"" bt:~n noted brfo .. by m:my K.enlisu. ... " Hm= I ;un ... gguting a ipK'6c ..,awn why aWUfMU and attention 0« '" wnUu In eKh other: the on~ is ~ br~·.lCI>tmotic ducnpbOn of tlMo other. A.......,OUi is a .Jkdch nf

~cnt\on. Bdow I lost righI kq somibntieJ.

I. Bod! involw .I~ You attend 10 JOffi~thin&- You ... aw;l"

oflOm~ 1. Both in.oo,. ... agent AIt~ntion iii perfo~ by a bram.

Awa",_ implies an "I· who il awa ... 3. BotharrHlectlve.Only._.U fnttion of avall.ble lnfnrmllinn

IJ atternk1i aI ... y one t,me. AWU('nHl i. "\retive in Ihe same way. You arr aware of nnly. tiny ;unnunl of the Inform.linn

lmpinglns on fO"'" ICIUQ .t any one lime..

4 Both arr gndN. Attontion Iypic:ally Iw a I-ingle focus, bUI

while attcndmgmostly toA, the brain ~m IOfM allenlion for B.A ... __ ao ...... t'ocui.ond "'fP'k"d In tho: SUM m;tnnff.

One an M _ Intently....aft of A :md a lottie lonrc of 8.

S. Bod! opcnr.t DOl ......w donWns of infOmulion. Although _ studoes of attcnuon focuo on oision, it is urtainly not

bm,lfd tn nsion. The ArM JignaI .nlwl«"",nl can M Il'J'bood In any of the 6"" ICII5a, to • Ihought, to an emotion,

to I I"fQUfd mmtory, or 10. pt.n to nuk •• mnwment, fur

~mrlo.. UUwisc, one un bt: :oWl .. of the urne rang<' of ."!tu. lf J'OU Cln .nond to ii, then you a.n M ..... re of il.

-

-

6. BoIh imply :on ~lfect un brh.o.vix. Wh~n th~ brain ~tt~/l(b to ~m~thing, the ncur>! signal' .,... cnh.:onctd, gotin ~~ter InfI~na Oft. the oowruu..am ~, and h.o. .... ~ ~~ter im~1 on br,,""vior. Whtn tho brain dou not attend to 5Oft\C1hing, 1M ntur.al rtl"""ffll~lJon i. ~U and hu rtt.uvdy little imp..:1 on brh.o.Yior. Ubwi~, wh~n you .re aware of !IOmelhing, )"0\1 can ~ 10 ;oct on it. Wbrn you

;In' l,ltuWUl' of IIO<ntthing, you"m gtntr.ally fail to rt;oct to It.

Both, th~re(ore, imply III ability :0 dri"., brh.:lviol. 1. Both imply d«p pnxusin&- ArtmtJon is WMn III information

prOCQ.SOr devote. computing rtKI<Irrft 10 III uUomutJon SCI.

A~"",, implies III int..u.g.:.- sclZing on, br.ng occupied by, uperiencUlg. or knowing fOlltlhing.

8. FLtully, :ond putkularly Itllon;y, ~ .. .,..,_ .aImoaI alwaY' Inch attention. Awart""" i, bu a nctdlt on a d ... l poinung mort or Iall 10 the Jlat. of <>nt" Itttntion. At any momml

in tune, the Information that is atttnded uwally matches the

Inf'mnallon Ihal rexh", zw;t~es5. In 110'- .lIlu.Itoons IMy can br stJnnttd.''''~'''' II is pouiblt 10 attend 10. visual imaSt by all brh:lvior.al mtuu"U, procc"'''lI 1M p~ in depth and eHR respondUlg 10 it, wlulc bring Utuwart' of it. lkeause anention .nd . warent'll can br diMOCi~ttd, ~ know

Ih.o.l Ihey are not th~ wne Ih.ng. & 1 mlPlUlchts brlWff1l Ih~m are nrt. Aw.rtntsli i. e-idtntly • close bul imperfect

indiQtor of attention.

~bny more com~nSOf\J"'" poetibk, but I h ..... ~Stftl.1 leIS! the nu,n ont'$. 1hc: point of the: list il thaI aw • ...,ness can M under·

llnod as an imperfect but clo$e modrl ofatt~tion.

Cor-Itr how Iht brain models "'" proptrt)' of color, in ~ the color whott. Whote light cunbinl arnixtlln' of aa ...... do:.p in thc: ~ spectnom.lt is tbt ~ ~ color poW" But thc: ~ $}'SUm doQ not model it in th.:It way.l~ thc: .-.sua! system mcoda: lIwinknn.c:ionollugh btogbll_.ndb..-coIor..1MiI; the bnIn'. model

ol...tuu .... _ ahlpvab:<!lbo ,,'b.-and a IDwnlueolrolor,a purity

ol~-l ~ ~ Why does !he bnm COIUtfUCI

,pill ·nlI,. mpoMiI* detaip6M ol a port ol!he world! The purp<*

ol ""'" irlntr modd is _ 10 be physocaIIy ~ in all dtulIs. wIudi ....uId be a ___ ol.-nl pooasoU,& ~ the purpose is 10 po'O"i<ir a quid< Wtch, a • .,...,.ntDln tNt is -r 10 romJIUl', ~t, and

just ~ moogtt to be -ruI in ~ behMor. Drthe wne toUn, on tht prostn' hypotMJil, the b",;n conit=

,mOOtl of the .ntntlon:al procen. 1hat modrllnvolvH ",me physi· cally ""nunsic.1 plOpmiei: an r,h.",.l tiling like plasma ~FJy koc:al.ubl. 10 Iht ipKt Inlide UiIl, .., aptrienct that II intangibk,

• feeling llut ~ no pbyatnbty. H.", , am proposing that those nonphYJkal P""I""rtlH and otMr rommon plOpmiei ascribed 10

aw.Il't'_ art 1IChtnunc, apprmimalt <ktcnptlOftll &f. l't'aI physical ptO«IL The ployt>cal proeHl being modeled II tomdhing me<:ha· nuDe and rompbcakd and ~, , pnxns ollogoW enhance­

ment, tho r- olatlt'nr-. WMn oognll~ mach.Mry scans and Jumm..ui>a .nt....w cUll, il ha, nO direct xc:oII 10 Ihe process olantntion iUtlf. lruttad, ., .... 0«_ 10 tht <4" In the .nention KMOM. It can acceu, sum=riu, and report tht conlenlS of that ",formation Ht. In'l'OI~on "'tuml an .nl~r based on. quick, aPI"'ll'", .. le ""ell, a earloon of ancntion, the item ~ callowa"" nota. AWilronw Is tht brain', cartoon of .nention.

How Aw,u eneS5 Relates to Other Components of the Conscious Mind

' ___ olX.

PIck ...,. X you Iokt. An apple. II IOUnd. Tho thought 2 + 2 .. 4. 1 .... emotion oI"joy. ram ......... of X. To be .bl. to reporl this, and

-

~Iy m~an iI, my brain must potMSJ Ih~ chunks of .ru<>rm:ltion aU bound tOSf1~

[I ] {;un ow.tn: of} {xJ.

In pursuing consciousness, OM pouibk a~h il to fOcus on 1M first pan, th~ knowkdge of the .. If, the " J" In "I am ...... re

of X: One aspKt of .. If-knowledge is body knowledge. "Jh,e"body ~rn.lI" is a rich undt:rst:lnding of your physlal Hlf, 0( tho dil­tinction betwKn physial objKU th.It Mlong 10 your pmonhood (this is my 1wtd,!Ius i. my kg) MId obfKIS tlul;m outside o()'Ou (thll is I<>mebodye~'s lund, thi. is the d\.;!i,). A _d aspect 0(

Hlf-knowItdge i. psychoIogic~ knowItd~ You NVi' knowkdge 0(

)'Our own mind, induding knowledge about CUTmlt thoughts and emotio .... about autobiognp/li'~ nwnoria llut deli..., your HnllC of pcnonh<H;Kl. Your knowlt<lge 0( IIClfls I>a~ on a nit "'ngc of infomt;ation. Don th~ _ 0( ~ lW III ttu. "\" JIm, of

the fqll.ltionl 'TI1~ Kif-knowledge apprwth to coMciousneu, while doing ~ good job of upwnm8 why ..... haft G.t..,kd in{OITlI;l\;on

.bout oUI"$tIVi's, doa • poor job of upl~In"'8 how ..... bKo .... ~wue of tIw info~tion or of anything rlllC.1 will d!scuso this gen ·

enJ apprl»ch In much gruttr det~il in Chapter 10. Anoth.cr possibk approach to cortJCiousnesi is to focut on the

Ob;cct of the aw.rene"" the " X" in • J am . wan' of X: 1iM: auumption is m..t, if you are ~ 0(. YiAulWmulus, then .wueneSll must M crrated by the vlsw.l circuitry. Some t tick of the neuronallnlf:rxtion$, _ otdlLation, _Iffdbadc, _ vibration c.lUHS.,;..w awue· nus 10 emerge. Tactile awareRCSI mun arill<! from the circuItry INI (OmpulQ touch. A~neN 0( rmotion must anll<! from the amUtry thot computet! emolJon. Awarrnest of an abslrxlthought mtght an... from .omewbere III the 1Tott1~ loW wlwft the thougIIl is pmumablr COmpulm AwarrnUl, in \Nt view, i. a byproduct of infomt;ation. limn circuitry (OIRpules X, and .... ~ of X rUes up &om the cimlltry Ilkt hut. Why we end up with • unifit<l ;twartne$l, if t"ltry

)0 I CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE SOCIAL ,UIN

br= ~ senenlCS illl """" privoIte --. is not dur, II 1lI:obo not cku how the f.dong of ~~ iuoolf, '-'ng b«n prodU«<!. hmng riMn up &om the infomw>on, erwh up ph)'Slally im~­Ing the s.-m citcuitty such th.J1 ..... an tomdImcs rq>Oot thai .. .., N.W it. I will discuss this opproxilln gn'~er dctullll Ch.>.pler II ,

In rooln<l to ~common apprwtthrt, in thiJ book I un po,nl­ing 10 an owrlookW chunk of inform.\lion llut lies btlween the ' r and Ihe ·X; the info ...... tion Ihal defines the nl.!.l'ooship btt~ them, the proposed attention schema, In the Ihwry prolX""'d h~, aW;lnnUf i~1f does not arise from lhe Illform'liQn ~boul which )'011 an .w=, and il is not your knowltd~ dul )'Oll, in particubr, are ,wan crfil II II imlead yourrich dHCTipti ..... model oflhe nlatJomtup btI"""'n ..... nl and the information bt'ng .ttendtd by the :agent

Tht other IWO compotmllll an imporunl, Withoul them, .wutneM nukes n.o M'llK. Withoul an agml to bt .wan, and wilh­

OUI • Ibing 10 bt awut of, the middle bit h.>.s no use. I do nOI mem 10 dtny the omportance of the other components. They .n a part

of cocucio<IfIIftJ,. But ... '=nus itself, the e,"nee of aw.",n"", I P"'l""M' 10 II. JpKifically the piece in the middle: Ihe attcnlion KhenY.

Awareness and Social Perception

The atImllon Khema is not JO fu-ktd.td a hypolbwl. We aln:;ldy know tilt \min cont.>ins ~hing bkt rl 1ho: bnin eonlw.. spt­

cWiud ~ that comput ... a d$:riplion of JOmeoM dse'J

iI~t ohtltDtion. ll is put of the nuduM..., for JOci.>Ilhinkmg.'-->" Hunwu "- on ability 10 monllOr th.t s-- crf oUwn.. We know

whft., other ~ an 1oobnc- The IIOOnu&- ""'3d on JOdaI attm­

tlon, • it illOmttimn alltd, bas ttndtd to \omit ,tself to dttectmg ~ elst's ~ dllUtion." ....... Bull doubt that our sophimcalN nuo;h;nery (or understanding othor pwpk's alltnlion is limited III

- gwmetry ~ on the '">'"- CompulUlg where JOmeoDt dse

.

Is looking iI, in ~ sense, ineKkntll Compullng SOrne<JnlO elw', attn>­tion.aI ~e is , de.poer !Uk. I argue tlut _ haw a rich, wprustic:l.led model of wlw .tlmtwn iI, of how it iI..wplo~ord, ofits IemponJ and $potW ~ of IIJ COIlKCjI.lflK'eS on action. A IlIOd.I oftiut type is ~ntUllo understanding and predlcttng ~notoo penon', be ....... ior. Gut chrcctlOll IS merfty OM viou.lI CUI: tlut an lxlp to infunn tlut modrL After all, bltnd poeoplo, with no vU"w rues about som ... ~ else's gru' d,rKlion, .M,U IlIlIknwwl othn- people., 'tunlion.

As dUgrunmed in Figure 2..6, Ihe propo6K\attention scheIN un .... g.>'" d,rection as • cue, but does not nccess..rily do so. II brings togrtMr a toubty of "i<knee toCO<Utnm a ... IM. rich and sophisti­catN mO<kl of KllMOne ebll·,artenuon. It can usc that mO<k1 to help lI...urltand other P"""Ple and pred.la IMlI" Iot:havior.lam propooing tlut the AIM rnachimry usN 10 model.nothe. person·,artcnliOlw state in • social situation is also uled 10 mO<k1 onei own allflltional Ibk. 1hII bene~t is the 5mI<': undcnunding and .,..wieting on •• own behvior.lhc machinery .. in this sense genlln!.

\ An .... tion Sd>em>

PtCUll! I.'

The -........ ocn.m.. the htpod....,,;...d modoi eJ.mnuonol_:!IId---' ~""on"","" : .fronomMf_ Diow ...... dhoR ... .....,. oldie Na fnlm which ~ m:<I<\IIJ1>Cl_ r!s<', ~ stM.

J2 I CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE SOCIAL IRAIN

WMI't in thf bro.in w,ould ..., look for Uut propos<e<l anention KMrN! ~ theory mans thra! ~ prtdktions about the bn.n :I.rtU involYfll.

Firll, a brun ~em Uul COlIStrudl tM ancntion Jdw:nu sIlouid M XII", when ~Ic engage in ooci.tJ ~ion_ II should M involwd in monitoring or I'tCOflstructmlJ other JI«II>k', mind ,bles,

npeci.o.lly I'Kt>nllructing the stale of oth ... !'flip"" anenlion. Second, a braill JY$lcm thai COltltrucu the anenllon KhcfTU

should romthow Irack or n:flrct a I"ft'SOn' own changing SI.le of .ntnlion.

Third, wh~n Ihat brain I)'Item iJ .um.gcd Or durnptcd, 'wall'­nQlI~lf w,ould be disrupted

Do any all'U of tIw bnm s.1tiuy the$o: predictionl! II noms OIlt

that 'lll thra! ~rtiQ: OYt'rbp In a rtgXtn oftht cem.m corte that bel joust .~ the ear, Wllh a re!;,1i"" emph.uil on the nght side oftlw brain. Within tIut bnm ~ two adpctnt ""'''' have been studiN most intensively."Iheo.. arcu an: shown U\ Rgull' 2.7. (A 5Qn of my

own right um.ral h~mi$phtr., by the way.) They m the superior trmpor.ol JUIau (srs) ;md the Iftnporo-jW1tt.l junction (TPJ). ~ .rus a~ probably IhclTUC'lva "oI~ions of lImIJer, sp«iOll· IUd $Ubunits tN.1 presumllb/y work in :0 cooper.r.ti~ fuhion and IIlltrXt Wlth~, bf"HfI-wi<k nmo..>rb. I will ~bc 1M drtoib of the TPJ lIld the STS In I~ter chapters. Ht~ I mt~/y note in brifl' WI thrycomb.nc. the three uy properties p~cted by the attenlion 5dw:nu thmry. rlQ(, ~ >IUS '"'"' r«n .. kd dlllins JOci.aI pn«p­lIOn. Second, they tracltonc·s own rule of attent,on. lhlJ'd, ~ to them leads 10 a devut~ dinial dLvuption of aWilr'eReU. E<w:h of th$thrtt~ttiQw;u~~2nd Jtudkd~ ...dIlle colllOOn of 1M three p~rties in ~ ~ of tht bnm !\as cauwd $Orne controvtt$y. How em such dlvuse, ~mingly unrcl.tw. prop­nt>es br 1'tCOI>CilN? The ."co!ion tdv:nu thcury rrur htlp to JoIVle tile riddle by linmg the many ~Ju into a single t'nm..woR..

In the p«:$<'nt theory, the ","It~t of cOlUCiousness, the ",,/fin the ronscious rrund, is dUtnbulN OWl' a ~ Jet of bmn a«:<U, ar"", thaI mcodt VISIOt'I, t"m<Mton, Langwgr, actIon plms, and 110 on. The full $tI of infomu.tion thaI ;s preKnl in con$Ciousntu al anyone ri_lw!>ttn nUN the "gloN! WOOOpK<!: ..... In the present the­ory, lhe ~ wotVp>" IIWI' IlWlY dl~ ,"",H ofthc brW1. But the $~cIlic pro~rty of awall'n~~', the astnu of ~~n~SI added to ~ gI~ worL~~, is constroc:led by an uJI'f'rt S)"t~m in I limited ~ of' th~ br.lin, ~m:.pt cn1lered on tht TP} or STS and ~pt involving othtr br.lin ll'gioM. The computed pro~ny of IWMeneu c.u1 N bound to the l~~r whole. As • Il'.wl, the br.lin can Il'port that ~ is ~lbChed 10 ~ color, WI .wanmess is artxhed 10 • 5OUnd, !luI .~n~u i. Itt~ched lo.n .bflnd thought.

This XCOUnl of conlClow;neu gi ve$ an tspC'Cwly $,m pit apllJU- .,::J, lion for wh» iO much ",fom,mon, tht nujonty of' procnsing in lilt rr-­br.lin, C.ln nt-lff Il'xh conKiousntJa. Much of'the ",form>tion in tilt b .... in may nO! N directly linbble to the attention lChem •. Only b ....... arus that ~ appropri;llfly hnub!c 101M- .ttention lChtnu

C'ln partJCiPOIt in ronsc:iOU$llCia-

Eom inf~tion tNl un In prlndple be Irnkrd to lhe allen.

bOn iCM ..... might not ~ be IC.. For amtple, IIOt ewrything

Uut tonIQ in through the ~ and ;., ~ in the vliU.ll system I'udw:I nporubIe _nat. Not :all of our IKtions aIT pbnned and eucutrd with our conscious puUci~ion. S)'lkmf th~t can, wwIer some dKUnUUroceo, function in the purview of aw;ltt'mU at other

timo Kem 10 function with flj\Lll complaity and sophl$llCation

in Ihe abHroce of iIWlIrmQJ. In the preHnl theory, the uplan.tioo

i, .imply th.t the Information computrd by theH !)1tenu is some.

tima linUd or bound to the a!lention k hem.,;md sometime. not.

1~ .hilUng ro:Ililions in the br.tln determine wh' l information il

bound 10 the .~ntion sche ..... and thullrociuded in conllCiousness,

and whal inform.ation is not bound 10 the attention .chern> and th ... opn;Itlng 0II15idt of consciousnca.

1lus attount of COtI5OIIUIneS:I is e~ misundn$tood. I wiD ub • ITIOf\1ot'nII>err 10 point out wNt I am """ $l)'ing.1 am not uying tIw • «nml iUa of doe bQin kubng inside Ilf ;., __ of thll:md N It

it kmpbng 10 go the homunculue: route_ doe bttJe.man-in.the-he.K! IOUk-Io potIULlt. ~ tome «nlr.tl orr, of the bn.in it~,:md tNt ~ Is _=ofinforrnaoon suppbed to it byother bnm rrgions. 11m

vmion, a IinIe ~ .-..asr of what the ITS! of the br.tln iSlel!ing him,. is entl","" nonup/m;ltory; it is a "".unt cl"the maglcUn 00.,. it"

lnlte.d, accord,ng to the prrsent theory, aW.ITn ••• is a con.

Ilru('\N futu",- It is a complu chunk of descriptive information, A.1t can be linkd to otMr informatIon. For cnmpk, inl'oomtion A

In»' be ~nkd 10 IrUOnn.tionX, constn>ctLnga Inger, min.sp.onning chunk of ~ A + X. When you rrpott that )"OU arc a~ of X-ttut X coma WIth the property of IWlrCn~ U$OCUtrd with

it-it;., ~ yow cogn;~ ~ II..,; ~ that ~r chunk of inI"orrn.tion, A + X, and IlIlT1lTWiud its COIlten\J.

~ Inbm.Iion is oboiousIy "flIulffll for villl.ll ~ Toudl inform.mon;., nrccm.ryforlxtlk iIWlIITIICM, Tho: inl'oomtion

thatl + 2. 4 iJoiwJowJy ~IO he awaITofthub$tl';ld thought 2 + 1. ~ , Set. ofinform:olion about one&rlf, one", OWn thoughlll and

•

1nI~ ,,,. '"'""" I J 5

emotions and IMmones, = requirftl to undel'lWld who, uxtJy, is

consaous. All of ~ chunb: of infomulion ;1ft p.lrt of a norm.J lUte of ~ By theoruelves, ~, they;lft ~Iy rq>­

rtSomWions oftlungl.llrprHmlmon. of obJ«tt. R~I_ of thoughtli and ffl>OtionJ. R..pR:S<'ntations of a physical body. II is hard

10 undnstand how cognition could Kan such a p,1e of ~ta· tions and rq!OrI the Pl'CKnoe of ~ncss. A br.tin would be ~blc 10

rtport lhi. ill gmon, that is big, my elbow i, benl, 2 + 2.4, I ~to. icE cn~m YUlenUY, bUI nOI thai il coruciously eJlperi~nca any o( t/ul

mJ.ltrW. It would be siltnt on Ihe lopiC of coruclousness. Bul with a IChtm;llic d6cription of attention bound 10 tht I.u-gtr set, with Ihe

atlention sd>enu., cogn,tion can san the amiable infontulion and on th.Il b.lSlll conclude that ~ is prtH1ll- n<,M only thol X is

10, butliut l;un """'.., o( X. \V'rlh thot_!uyt an """""" olwt..,n: ~ comn from, wlut it is, wlul its acUpt,yt n1 ..... is, how

...., tnll'O$ptd :aboul ii, and bow Oft rq><>r1 on It

Apn.l would hkt 10 be d= on wlut the theory dotIlIOf apbtn. You annot wet from the.>ttention domu theory to dot construction

of an Kt\W, ethtrt~ «top4smk, nonphy$ial. inntr fedjng. Likt dot att ofthc fqWn'd in the ~ the bnin constructs:. <ktmptwn ofinntr uptrirnoe, nO( the item iUtI! Tht construction of an..ctwl inncrttpe­

rienc.: IS..., lnluiliytly undtrst."d ii, IS..., nGle ,I in ourseivts, as...,

dtscribe It to t.ach other is nO( n~. W~cytr..., an: l;tIki'18 about wilen..., l;tIk about c:onsciousntsJ, it an'l be t/o.al, ~ tM ftt~ng

wouIdn'l ~any "",to. to F intoourop«eh. Thtronclusions,ctrUin· u... rtportIi, and tIoqumt pottr)' spokm .bout it .u rtqwrt inforrno,.

tion II. b.>si.s. To npbtn the bchMoo' ofthc madIino: Oft n«d 1M tlabl Jd that ""'""'" _ The --.- itJdfis out of the loop.

Strange Loops

I hudly w.o.nl rta.:ltn 10 gel the imp~"on ltu.t lhe attenlion

schem~ theory Is tidy. When you think aboul its impltmtnUtioo

l. I CONSCIOU5NES5 ANO fflE SOCIAl UAIN

in tho brain, II quidly becOIMI ~ in WlI)'Ilh~1 .... y bqin to _rmM KtIYl hunwI npen<'nc~ Th116na1 HCbOn of the cNptn oununuu:" oM 01 the ... ~ (omriualJoeJ of the thtorJ· I will duaw _ (OIJIplUltltl on bin ch.aptns.

If the \hftIfy .. oamct. then _neu it a ~nption, a ~ Nnt"'lon. ~ III tho Mill. The th"'l b<:ong ~lQOnttd Is .nentio!l.. Sut .n .... uon 0' the pr<:>U" ohnhoncing ~plQOn\.>UonJ In tilt hn.1II. We h ...... lIW13t Ioop-~ _kt to\lllg itt own tail,

or I h~nd drlw,ng ilNlf, so \0 ~H.. ( Hohtadtt. coined the \enn ·.trl~ loop· In hll 1m book G..J.I, &Cion", Barl." and JUggt'StiNl tho! _ type of llrange loop might b<: II the rool of consciolK­

_) In the prnent t/wor}', OWllrtn$ is. rtprcNnl'l;on oftM: pro­au tlw mhonus rtpmtnuuons. If lhol KCOUn! i. cor~, tlttn being _ of.omethins and .nendong 10 it fftd e..ch other. "The

two ~ in • poN!lW lftdbKk loop: they m Ilk! twO mirrors f..cing

udI otMr. Booot _'"" you boost tM: otMr. 0,,,,,,8'" oM and you .... t the othtr. AD .... 1XIrI annot work fuUy w;Ih<>u1 '~MU,

nor .w~ WIthout .ntntion.. 11M Cu, in 5UlIUIW"WlIII the thcury, 1 h.wt: tended to ~ptw&lC

the dill""'''''' bctwttn awutntu and ~."'..,.

•

•

de! it. A thIrd u.mplt might M wrlling a ckKripiion .n your di~ry ofbow you (ttl. 'Jb( ckKnption i~lf ..... pa and alttn how)'O" Ml He", I ;un f"W.ting thl.l tht attenllon KMmlL il a US( of I dHcnptlOfl tlut hdps m..>ke il ao.. Not only d-. the attention

Khml~ pro>'.de lhe b",in wllh a deKnpllve mO<k1 of attenlion,

but tht ducopuon itself mu" hdp to d.ru! attention and Ihudly

\0 dirut Mh.v.or. A Iong.Slanding question about contciousneJI If whether it is

I"'JSi>'e or aCli>'e.l)o(s it me",ly obsel'Vl', or dna il alw cause! One

of the mo", colorful metaphors on the topk wu ... ggestw by Ihe

rllllotollher Haidl." The "nconscious mKhlMry of tile br~ln illO

..asl that it is Ioke an elephant. P"rtup' consciowneJI b • lIttle boy

,;1tinJ on the rlephan(l IIead. The: boy .... ,vely Un.>grnH WI he iI in COIllroi of the ekpllanl, but he .....,my _cha whl.t tht elephant d>oowIlo do. 1ff;1 a pusm: obs<rl'Vl'r wIth. cklUlOOl\ of (ootm/.

A1tmul,,,,,ly, perhaps ~ tw thr ""nl:uwl il at kOUl pu' wily ",control ofthrekplunt.ls ~",." .. lOIely. puN""~ or abo an ;l(t,,,,, p.rucip.tnl! 1M pr-atnt theory coma down on the

tide ofan atU"" partlClpanl. AWI"''''_ II not "",,,,Iy ~tchmg, bul

pllr- • role on dIrecting b ..... n function. 11~fuUy, this ch.:opter Jw given. g<'Mr;1oll't'nH O(IM .h.....,.

Ih>! .w."'n~SII II an .nention K henu, of where tlul theory is COm·

Ing from and whll i. is trying to atcomplish.l do not up«! .u,h. cursory overvirwlO M convincing, but.t lealt It '.n KI out the bUi'

Mk;u, In the ",nulnde. of the book I will ~n oJl ow. again, Ihls

limo introdLICing Ihe theory more- lystem'llCltly .nd with p~IC' oncnlion to dctill Thc: first balf of the book focuMs on ok.cnbong the lheory itM:lf. 1M secorwllWf of the book to.:waon the manon· stup to prnious 1Cknu6c \heona of conKiousnHI;and 10 opW'

m.tnul~from~ At the end of the book I take up w .... t might be • .alled mystical or

'f'uitual quatLonl. E""n if COOKio\I.!.nCII i. not etrmal fClOpLum. but inltead inf"""",rion inst~nwtoed .n the braln, il .. nonnMleJI

iIII th~ Ipmt we hl"e. Wr lhould t...,.t tM Ip.lIt with tome mpecI •

U J CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE SOCIAL UAIN

~ PMnon1(non an be u plored nO! only from the po,nt of vitw

of lIl«iwI,sm but abo from the point gf vft ofhuman cvltur. and psydIoIggicaInted..A~tMoryg(c~farfrom

bl(rWUng 1M world and shnodi,,& spirinWLly. moght act..wly Iud 10 grt"~tCf Insight and grt"21~r ulIsfxtioo In spLntual uperienclt.

- •

3

Awareness as Information

In tht rm'iou, ch.lpltr, introducing ~ rough outhnr of 1M theory, I p.-oposN th~t awilTer>nll II infonn~\ion. 1M prop<.>$.al initi~lly JOIUld, unhuly. We all know inruiti""ly.....Jut """"nness is_it" m

111M!' u~nenu and it does noI rntmblt: typN wonts on a I""~ or the ones and 'UfOS of a computeT printout It docs not ret'mblt: oor cultumlr KCq>ted m~aphon for infonn.>lion. How un a~­ness iu<:lf~ in(omution! [n thi$ chapter I would bb to bcogin "pin,

man systtffiiltic.tJly, more thoroughly, In~\'g.>ung WNt a""'~ nt" Lt. whAt III relAliomhip to inform.tion =y~, and how a brilln mIght make .~nes.s pol-Siblr.

To at! up the pn:>bkm, I wiD boogin with a lr.Kl,tionai W2J' 10 think about _=ness. Conskkr ~n Figure 2.2. When lnfOrm;,tion is puxuseJ in the brain in some spedhc: but as yd. unddcrmintd way {Dos 1),:0. ~ ~ of aw= .... t'It1C'TS (Box 2). Suppose th.r)'OO ~ looking.>!. a s-n apple. First, )'UUf..;,u.d system COOIpUle5

tIw: ~e ~ ~ 01 the ~,>I 1t.l.St as ~nd through the 1Imited ddKtDnafthr ~ 1hr pmeron' ofthisinbmo· tioro in the bnin an be ~ dir«tIy by inSoHt~ ~ into

nsu..J =. and morutoring tho: actIVity of neumnt. 5«ond, ;15 a ~ af tft.>t Infomution, !'or unknown rt-.ns, )'OU ~ a conscious upcri­~of~ You=,ofcoune,~ofotlw:rkalUMSofthc:appk, sud! as its wpc and.smel~ but for liM: momml kt w roo.. on thc JW­ticul.v corucious ""rw.tion of ~ Onr could uy th>t two items

·0 I CO,..SCIOUSNUS A"'O THE SOCIAL UAIN

.., ~ 10 tIIo! .-..-..: d>r c:ornpuur;on th# the apple is gIftfI

(Ika I .. fit!ur"U), ondd>r"upt:uwcC_" oltMlVftfl (8m2). Arrow A .. ~ U rq>motnts tho: aI'~ unknown proccM by

whoch tho: bnsn ~ a <lDNdouI; ~ Arrow A IS u.. ct'IUI:Ol mystery 10 wha.:h tcienlUU 0( ~ have ~ thtrrucl>'6, WId! no dcfirute answrr Of common agreement. It is

dlfficlllt to figun out bow a physic.ol m.1oChine can ('1"0<111« what IS commonly usull1ot<l to be a nonphysical r..,u"II' Our inability 10

conctl.-e of a route from physical procn$ to men'll u~rienct is

1M ".IIOn f.l. tht perslsten, t.-.dllion 01 pasimlsm In tht Kitntific "OOy of CO<ISCiou§M§l. WMn Descartcs' cLl,mtd th;1.I rr. oxt<twI

(tht physk.al .... Mtanct of the body) can _r be I.ISfd ,0 construct >rJ "",f~'" (.mnW subsunct), when """I" indiol.-d that our t_n· u.ol mcnW abi~tlcs ..... ply Q'" and h.J.-e no nttfNI upb~ion, and wIItn 0Wmm' nlphtmuticaUy rmrrr<i to tho: 'hard prob\tm" of ~ ~ of !hut pcssunistic vitws den.-e &om fht shftr IIunwI iNbII.tylO ~ how any Arrow A could possIbly get from Ba. I to 00.2-

W ..... I would lob 10 do, ~, IS to focus on Arrow B, a I'm­

<:dIthat II rNb'-dy (thoush not tnhrtly) igr>Ind both 5citnti6c2lly and rhllotorhK.ally. Artrrw B ~nts tM prouss by wluch a sub;t<:· 1M COfII.CiouJ operlmct. an a.. .... 11Qf of something. an physically mp..n the infomutlon.~ S)'Stmu oftht b..un. allowing WlIO rtpofIlh>t we- h.J.-e tht if:.elmg 0( aWolm>tSl. It is my ""'tentian t~

.....m """" can be ltamed .>bout ~ by ronsidmng Arrow B Ih>n by c:ona' '.1\ Anuw A. By osltong wNI. sptcdicaJIy, ~ an Jo oa lhe warId, wb.I it Wi ~ wIuI it can physic;lIIy cal.lSt, .." .... dw Inn>f! of ob,tcb.lI,. Imk.>d of IDAns OIUWI-.u in 1oJICCUla· - one! ~ _ an I"" tilt invntig'hon ... 1IXIIftIung th# • -m..bIo. My cWm is that by >WtIi1g with Arrow B, """ an ....-ad: '-kwonI and obIaon • ~ ~ 10 tilt ~ I .. -,0 begin wIlh!he.m..l abdqlOrtpOI1that .." ~.....-. and from tIw. obscJ·

- \.oU lOur iUJI' 1oao:k"10 the !non ~ the rrot>"tY ol_~ -... •

=

........ WorrMt-.I·, The Report of Awareness

lAt's fUrt ""th Uw ~I noport of;aw;,renal. You miglU uy, -rho:

~ II gtHl'I; But a simpl~ oIf-tt.e..shdf.,;;mokngth Oel«tor rnuId >q'On tho: WIle. There 1lI no nidmcc tNt Uw photo d .... g Iw ~n II1Mr u~ You, hownu, an ilio rtpor1, "I h.we an 111MI', wbj«t1Yt aWJnness or grrm.1 don't merrly rt5'5ter tilt ,nfo""",·

hOn that Iht apple I. ~n; I rxpnimu it." Wh'I~rtlut conscious

fftlmg may M, thaI ""I"'rienll;tl component 10 grttn, II must be oomething Ihal nn in principle nu,,", a wtb.oJ nport. Of coursr, most ,ubjKt"'~ ""!",ritnet'S an not vetb.oJly rq>arled. h would

be intOl'T«t to equ'te ,wa~. wilh ~ rtport. Nortethtl-,

''''''rtnnJ un in pnnclple M ""tb.oJly reported. Some p.1rt. of conKioUJntSt, so"", things of which we art ;rw;>rt,

.rt utrn'l'lely hard to pul into WOtth. Try opllirung colon to, con­~ully blind ptno!\. (I actu.Illy triN lhis wlltn I was aboot four. t«n ,nd lacked IOcia/lact . ..".. ~ """t1I1 III Cl~ until

I r""hud ht d.d n(l( ~ Ihe con«pt5 ~n to mpgt In the con­l'ft':UhOn, and I gJ-w up.) H~, as limIted n hu"",n 1.nguagc

Is at infOlm<llion transfer, and ;\$ indesc:nb>.blt ;\$ some COftlCiout

.. pentnc" M'('m 10 M, .... can norulhtl6J rq>art llul we ha"" Ihem. Conwousneu un .!fw .pt«-h. It j. uUloloskally t,!)IUhat

.1I a.p«I. or conKlowncss Ih>! .... admil 10 h'Ying, thaI we rrport hMng, Ih.1 "'" tell outHlvCll thaI"'" luw, th.1 plulofOJlhtr1 and Kocntlltt wrllt about h"';ng, th.t pocU wall ~uc aboul, un haw

~

15 by musc\tt, ",hoch oW controlled by "IOIomtIU'ON, whKh art rontrolltd by nttworIu In the hnln, whl<h optnto: by compul.bOn .and [nRSnlU8IOf'I of infonn,Ibon. When )'0'1

rtpOft llul )'0'1 hM: a Iut.,«tm: cxptntr>tt of ~ ~ .... to that ctrod must hM: btocn pftStfIt~rt III 1M boon, puttd to y<lO.I( spt«h Cltc\lItry, .OOIT.rul.>trd into wonb.. 1hc bam ront;olm

infonmlion about aWJJ'CnM, tnrodfCI in the form of neunI ~ or tl... .,..., would be un;lbJ.. to rtport tNt "'" h.rve it.

H I CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE SOCIAl "AIN

E>'eI\ thn prdiminuy ... >I .. >tion,., obvIous;as it IN)' KftfI, has I catlan uxumen~ po-. It ruiH OUI an mlIft ~ oI"th«Jry.1n my ~WIIh~J~~lnotion,~ impbatIy ~ J(lIJktililU upI..-.dy ~ tNt rrught be caDtdthe·~~·~ TollllJlrJW1U tJu,~o(

rlrw with .... btn* brnity: ~ is an aun or IHbng that ~ from information~ in tho: brl.n. \'Ibm MWUf>I; in the brwt m actI~ in aarum ~ the p.1ltern goenentuor tnubi Of allows for tht ft.eUng of a~ a bit likt Mll Hnm:Iting fn.>m tlmric.al wires.

Awm~ is simply whll lI lHls IiU to p<OCUIlI1fomu!ion. Thtdtflkultywith ~comrnon mWJis not iIOmU(h in wh.1! they

"'88"I;as in whll thty Ie.w DUt. n- views acknowledge tht pm­me.- 01" Arrow A (inforrrwion kadl to 1_), bul thq It".., oul :any Arrow B. AwutMSJ, luving been gmtr.>ltd by inIOrm.ition, .md beins' tft!ins or an lUr.>, an inWIgLbk a~, is u...bk 10 apply mtdwUc.oI ~ to oIkr a phyt.iclIJy$ltm and !hut has no nw,"",

to be tumtd Nd into infoc'nwion mrodN in the bnm. M a .-.ll, tM ... is no m«IwullIl for US to Sly tIw ..... ~ WI l ....... ness.

Scncdy ~iling. I un not:uguing ag.U1ISt the conupt of an tme" gwt IW:I ... ,-.Ir is acupublt for ......... neq to nntrp from a physi. cal pnxess. But it mU$l: do mo ... than nnt~. Wb.kv1:r emerges. II mliit ollKl be :ablt to irnl»Cl the physic<ll1'fOCU'« in Iht br.oin.

AU thwrin of awm~ !luI an' unidi...ctioml, thol h;".., :m

Arww A but no Arww B, an' logicaUy irnpoMoibJe.. All worboble theo­fII!S of ''''Ul'roestI must ~Ie both an Arn;;w A and :m Arm,,'

)

B. A~ must be abIt to lCI on the bum, 10 supply 1M b(i1Jl

WIth sp«ifk, r'!J?9r!)bIr jofl!mU.tion ibout iUdl. or dW _.......wd be ~to "-it.

lO~\~AI.... The Decision on Which the Report Is Based

Now Ifflilke • 5«ond step inlO the bn,n, from 1M .biloty 10 ... port 'WlImleq 10 the .biUty to decide thll ..... !un aWll ... ness. If we

F

.......... """"""' ...... 3

un Jq th;r.t ~ han It, then priOI'" 10 JPHCh some processing sys­, .... If! ~ bum must Nn dcaokd On ~ ~ of:owmonus. Somet/uns mUll N~ supplied ~ infollNllon to tM speech !DKhu>rry to tM effect tNl ~WU'nI~ ill ~I. or elK th;r.t or­

""try would not ~ abk 10 Conitnoa tM wrb.&l rqKlrt.

All ttudots of ~~ wtoW!er pIu\oIophinl pondtring. intJo.

spe<1>On. or /Onn;oIexpenmffil, <kptnd on 3 <kc.$ion·ma.;IlJI~· d.gm. A ~ decidu, "u awm.nea of X present?"

"00 I ~ a sub~ Uperiffl(:fOftlwgrftl\J\$oftMgn.ss!" ' 00 I h.o.., a .. ~ e>:JiEl"~ of tile rmotioo oljoy rigl:>1 ....... 1· "00 I merdy ~rr, in the 5enK ofh.-.vmg X«N to the inl'orm:o-

II<:In., WI 1M aar I am Imatlung ill ~ or do I act1W1y NYf:an apm­ffaof ,tI coIdnas III mythrtwr'

-00 I h"'''3'''~ ~oi m)'selH" AU of ~ introspect"',, quniH _ eumpla of d«uions thai

an .... ...., aboIIt Ihr ~ol ~

Heft I wouId)'k to dUlfy~ wM I me ..... by a decision .>bout the prt$ftKe of ~ SuppoK tNt J'OII _ soea\N In &ont of a compulerlOftn putJapating in an upmmmt. ~ a~ fLuhnl on the 1OHn, one afttr the nut, and your !>Uk is to Indial., the color of uch ~ If" is rnI, you prus one button. If It i, grftt1, you press a dllf'erenl bonon. The information thaI you a~ oon"")'ing by button

PI'Hl, the IIIfOmulion tNt is the IUhJ«l of you. decision, conCl!'ms color, not awa~ You are probably aIJo .""'1'1' of the colon, al kast

otlir$t. But aftrr a kw Ihousmd lrub you lNy go on autopIlot, pmos- (

~~~~~~~ wdl, whik )"0'" COf\I\dous mind is dse-~ j

or om IIff'f dim, you may

:~~::.:~~r:::~;:::;:: But i to ~ the C'Ob", you al1k to gunJ ~ dw1«.1n tIw C*, infonuation -., the irmgo: IS prao:nl in)'OW" linin and an na> mull III a ""r· biI rtpoI'I (lU button press. wlule al em _ tunt roo :aft Ul\.lblr to

d~t«t a ronsdow uptritna: attxhed 10 Iht color.

U I CONSCIOUSNESS ... NO THE SOCI ... L ..... IN

Mndy bring abIr 10 rqJOrt tIut a Yi6uaI stunul .... If p~t, IS of • aru.in color, Iw I CftUin !Npo-, or is monns III a tfttain WlIy .. not

the wno: q.s-rung the ~ of ~ A mmvdy sunpIt ~ tNl shows no ni<kna of ilWlmIftI an M ~ 10 det«t Jow..kvd karuru, ~ ~ hlUNnf an alto ddea mel rq><>rI on the~nttofill1 innn~

Now ~ tIut tIM, wl. IS ~ The ARM: type' of ~ is ftUhN on tIM, Kreft!, bul )'OUf job 1110 rq.ort whether you Nft a..,b­

ject;~ uperimu of Ihe imago.. roo must Inll"O$~ and dKkk if tNl

1peci:aJ (nl'""gible ,tuff, ~tst, II .ttXhN 10 tM imago:'. If yn, you prus 1M rapons<: kq. If 001, nllurllly roo skip lhe key p~SL Now the cktnmilulion is not tM J'ftH'I>«: of mI or pn, but tM p~n« of 1W.~nest. If tM ~ ~ JIRSftIled ~ and cluny, mel you :In' not ~utd with ~ of trials, )'OU WIU pnKWlly d«;de

tIut -.- is preent with t.dl itNp.lftht ~ ~ fbshtd 100 quiddy ortoo dtmIy,orifJOUom ~ frvm the IBC, you nuy f.ld 10 ckttct any ~ any inner ul"",je,.a, attxhed fO the ~

The purpow: of tMw Nbotalt fnIIIpks IS to lsoI.tt ont lpecific

'YI"" of dtdAon. Thr !min an ~ drddo: whether lOmetiung II 8Mn or nod, big or smll~ im~.nl or unimportant, d""gerous or~, romplic.ttd Or ilmple. But we ''''' also dKide th.1 _ h • ..." within u" ronsdous uptlYnu oIlhOH thonga. Wh.t~r tht sp«ific

]1i'Opfrty of 'W'lftn~ may be, it is SOmtthing tlut • brain an delect. Wi: can decide thai we ~ it.

Much Iw bun Ieamtd ~dy about the nruron.U b.uu of dorilOo .... ,llking. ~ In the ~I.tntdy limple Cast of nswJ

motion. ... ~ that)'DU -Iookins"' a blwryor IlicUnng omagr <Ind .In! :ubd 10 decidr its dtrtmon of motion. II an dnft trther 10

tM left Of tM "Shl, but beaus.. of the I'iOlSJ ~ of the image, you ~ IrOIIbW dctmnining tM ~ By ~ the wl. difficult on tNI~, I'INtOIdtnIUb an IIow down lhe decis>on pnxa;I, thrnby rmking il tasitr 10 ftudy.

Thi. decision f""CUSS~.rs towork:u follow$. fim, tho, ITYChin. try in the visual ~Iem consIructs lognlls that ~prntnt the motion o(

the I~ ~ the visuJI .... is IlOIsy. it rruy mull in conftict­ing signa1s indluMg motion In I vulety of w=tions. 5«000, Ih~

~S.ll'l' ~ ~ III the bnm by ~ m~ The d~n inlrgt"'IOI'lI ddtmuM which moIloo !I>gIW i. rorul5W1l ~ Of strong mougb to aoa I thn!$bold. Ona the limshold is CfONfd, a ~ponso' IlII"l!8"rm In thiJ wq, the sy.tnn cIecxk,; ...nidi ~n the ~ IlIliuly 10 be moving.

Smct/yspulung. the I)'*m .. not dtddngwIwdxTthe.--.l ...... ill """""S to the nght or Idll! ill *,dding bctwr:n two inIOrmxion ~~hp'n' ~tll>t 1eft.Q(rit;h1 mobl!!! ~"in...dc.Q. lion an nm ~ ~ by in:semntI ~ fine ~ into the bRan, intu I pWcuW pMt cI the visuoI.JyStfln. passing I wry tnWI d«tricaI wnmt mil tha-ebr boc.ttns OIM' or anotherclthe motion signaIs."

S,nce ntu~nti$U ~ tome notion OhM brun', m..:hinrry for drc""",,-nukmg. .....nat an be inIm'ed u.oul ' ..... rv>ea11u noIft! ~,you an <kcide .. ·hrthtryou~, inside of,...., an ~ ofsom~tIung. lhemore ",,·~rt'nas-or lllc:l.!il wtul~ i t is)'OU "'"

droduIg you Iuwo whm)'UU uy)'Utl !u\'e IWllrtl'lCSS-an be fed UllO

• deasion integntor. We C;lll m.Ue , .... t;uk""n mort romlW"blc 10

tht V\SlW·motion tuk.. 8y miling the iImge:s atll'mcly brif:( or dIm. .... an man the tuk d,fficult. You may struggle for. moment, trying 10 dmde .. ·Mtkr any ~M$I of. stimulllli is p~nL ' Ihe decisioo ..,Qinny II mg;aged. This iNlghl u..t conscious ~ dtpend$ on

the mKlIll~ry of dlrl,ion·m.lklng ~ b«n pointed out before. .~ Aaua..! ptope"1 of tkdsion·rnH.ng is Wi not onIr Is the deci­

sion ,twIf a nwtipubtmn of Wta, but the decision rnxIItM depends on d.1u.u mput. [t doa noIl..1U any OI/w" input. fffding in some m

"'r'foIllI win not won: on this INCIune. ~ither will Chi You C2J1'j frN it fdopl.am. You Cl/l', reN it an intangible., inetrWk, ",dcscnb.>bk thing. You an', fttd It an nm'~t property tlut tnns«n<H infonn.t' bon. You canonlyfttd it infOmution.

In Introsp«bng. in aWns yowsoelf whrther you h..~ an ~ness

of ~ and in Nng 1M drecisIOi I tb.>I you hoM: It, whit you '"'" ~ngon,what you~~..-ssing.tIw:~dlWstuffyout~"'SJM

•• I CONSCIOUSNESS ANO THE SOCII\~ tRAIN

.. CIIIIIKbng. wrighing. and conduding !hot JOU ~ it mforrnabOn. StMIy~.u.g.1he ~ maduntry it d«idirc m.. arum 1I1b. rNtion is ~ .. yoorbrul.1l a. sttmgth.bc:M a ttueshoId.

Now Wf 1M lqinning 10 approxh Ihe counlninlwtJw c:oncqK

tNt ~_tIM: mysterious "uK III$Kk our ~ads, tIM: pri~ fffiing Wf <;an wk about-might .lSI:lfbe infottNtion.

The Representiltion on Which the Decision II Bilsed

In tht p~iou, -non I focused Dn tilt procaa Df dedsion ·m:Wng In tht br ...... I lUggesttd ttwt beau", W1! <;an Jttid~ tMt Wt hI • .., -MSf, and bea"", decisloru IT<ju,", inform~uon, ~Will..,n~ nught ibrlfbe uUornution.

Th.u ...,uorung IIU)' at fust Sftm &uky. I wiD ~ " he,.., by IinI S"'1"I an obnouo rootrItet'argwnl:nL SuI'P'*' that )'011 1M Loobng ill a hunk of rock. You can deci<k ttw tIM: rock is pmml and ,..,port

111M Ihe nxk is ~nt, and ~ the nxk i, not IlSI:lf rNde of informo· tiDn.lt 'l prob,Ibly mostlyoi]iQIe. (It wuld be argued tlul ,ilielle, ~t tht mOIU aotrric Ievd of quantum theoty, is ,..,~l1y jusllnformalion; but I'll put that argumenl aside. The rock it nOI ~n lnfonnltion;l) ,..,v,..,..,n· t<llion in your brain to which you luvr cogniuw access. It il an object in tM ...,;1) woOd) This n>.mple seem.. to pUl tht kyboeh on the p .... ...,..u that if)'Oll can deci<k .t IS theIT, thm iI must be information.

How<;an~ W information? Am I confwing infomu,.

tioft """'" a th .......... thr thing itKlf1 Why <;an' t consciousness be an >Un, or • ~ .amcthlng that II not itself Wommion but that can d.ct tM bn.-., Wr the 5ignm. and therdIy provide infDl'TTUbOfl aboI.ot itMIf to tho IIftU'tInal cim.utry 1

To get a thr ...... _ cltarly, considn- tht eumpie of tilt rock I ~nlt _ closely. Sui'P""" )'011 look .nd dtcide til» I rock is in<kN pntenI in front of you. You <;an describe 10m. Df the properties of the rock. If. Wgr, it's ~rkhng. ii i while and guy, ii', SMped like.

· . ___ ...,_,.7 lopsided ImngIt. Yttstrictly~praking)')U an IlOl de<:iding:lnd rq>O<t.

inS on !he rod ilKlf. You U~ d«idul8 and rq>ortmg on th( Wonn.a. lIOII ronIlructW in your Vlsu..l system.

To drmonsmle !he PO"U, ""!'PO" you expm..na: a viswI ilIu • ...... A disctqW"lC)' is inlroducw ~IWffll !he ",>I object :lnd Ihf,

visual rq>rcsenl~!lon of th( objro: insid( th( br.un. YO\Ilook;>ll rod;

with oUu..ory propertlrl and:>n!" uUd 10 R"por! what ill~ Wb.u do )'OU R"pon~ ObvIously, you R"pM !he infonNtiomI rt-pmcnwion, IlOl 1M ",>I th.ng. ~ to a trick of pn1pecti~,)'otI mighl <l«i<k;1 is trimguIu whrn;1 is actuilly $<Juan. You mighl dmdr it is snulkr !han )'UtIr hmd WMn ;1 is <lCI\I>l1y ~ Uw! your who;olr body bul

much Wthrr ~ Uw! youlhink. )"our doedsIon mxhinny doa not

Iu...: ~ ~ to the rU objKt, only to lhe: information aboullhf, objtd tlut is (nooded in Ihf, vwuI sysltm.

The Issue runs .wprr Iiw> ~ ~Iusions III which a rq>­

IftmtWon In the: brain is ir>rorJKt. A prraptuaI ~nwlon II """"-" inK:cun.lt becaUK ;1 is a simpl;&:.tion. u,1 me ",mind you of :on tUn\plt from Ihe previous dupler, Ih( ~ of color and, in p.u-. lituW, lhe: (oior wltite. ActlW wltite bgbl f;OI1WN a milluR" of aU colors. \\~ know it from ~riment. Bul the: model of white lighl con· 5In>(kd in !he bnin do6 IlOl coouln ~I infonn:,tion. \\!bitt is not R"pfUmIW in tht b"';n as a mirtu", of colon bul as lurnlrI.ln« WI L1cb aU (olar, A fundamtntll S>P exists bmown the pb)'1ic21 thing beins ~ntftl (a rnirtuI"oo of el«troougnrtic w • ..,kngtlu):ln.! the simpIalWd .rpoUtnt:l.!ion ofit in the: bnin (Iomtinmct Wilhoul color), n.. brain', I'tpftienulion dO'$CfObes JOmC"thrng on vKl4tion of pbysics. II took Newton' to discowr Ihf, di~

(Newton. public>uon on color in 167 .' _ ~ at the lime, ~ him much /"rustr:ltion. lht philO6OpIlers and ockntosts of the: ~ Society of London ~ to'O\lble neaping thm- intuill~ bdocfs. They could IlOl xnpt a miIturt of <;OiorI as the: buis for ptrctptu:al whil"- lhe dilftftfW;<' b«wftn thot rU thlng and the: brain', inlenul ~I'ltion _ too ral for them to grasp. ~:on ocoounl ofthol lnd other ~piSO<kt: In NtwlOn'51.k, $tt the btogr.IpIty by \r,1LuniL 10) -

U I CONSCIOIISNESS ANO THE SOCIAL IUIN

In the (:OK of white light, _ QII diltmgwsh bo:t ... cn four ,t~

I_I is ~ re.J pbysicil dung; ~ broad sp«trum of ""''*ngths. 1_ " is a ~W;ion in the brain's V1$i.W ctml,try, ,~

lion tNt $bn<k fOr, but in many wtyI dtporu _hong ddrcr=t

from. thc physiQI thing. 'l"M infonn.obon dtpictla $implo6ed >'aSion,

minus tt.. physial dcWIs that on: Wlimpoo1..nt for one'l own~, ;wi .... ith no ;o,Jh.,rcnCl!' to tt..1zwJ of phr-b. Wlut II drpktw IS in

fact phy,;cally impossible. To bt pr«i,", _ nn distinguish t,,"o pm. to lttm ll,leti Ay Ib..nd lib. It"", IIQ is the Infomution ,tself, which

<loa txist :lItd II inSUtl!i.lttd in sp«~ cU'CWtry of the virual S)'I'­

trm.lI<m 11& Is the imposs;bk mtlrydepidlPd b)I tlw inform~tion_ bnghtntss without color.

II"" 11/ is the cognime X«SS to tlut ~ntatlOll, the

decision-making pro«'SS that .dIows the bnIn to sa.n the v ...... l rq>­

mftIwlon and ~ )lftlpntiel JUCh as tIut a wlutt ~:Ia .. ~t or ... ~ CtrUul atlIntiorI or is loc.atfd ~ or tM~ in 1M -,

Ilcmrvisthe~~

In tt.. QSoI! of looking at a rock, we Iu~ ag.tin I, a re.1 phys;al thing: II,. rerr-nt.tion in the b"'in th~t i5a tchtnutiud, inform.a­

tJon.\ll'rcayforthe ~aI thing; 1lJ,. oognitiV't IC«$S to that rtpl"6ellta' lion; ;wi IV,. vm.aI :ability to rq>Ort.

Tho: wV'oion into four RpU>.~ ilcnu II of course III ~us sim­pb{w;ation of who! is mon: Ii.ke a oontinllOUJ procas, but 1M limplifi­ation MIps to gt1 at ~ &epcr inMghL

~ thc "- of l>O ........ Suppooo: tNt theft is a re.J physi­cal '-" b -mna... "'Y*rious mary !Nt If nat wi( composed of inbtnaDon.. Irs C1lItIpOSII>on • tobIIy unknown. It might bt • ptOCl'SS

in thc bnin, an ftnr ' 8UW ~ an ..... a IlIbi«tMfy that is JhN by

1nfonnation,000~C¥m!nOn! ~ AI thc mOUltnt "'!'f'05t­k.iIOW notlung oboot it. Lot us cdI this !lung IItm I. Suppose thalltem I, wh.IICYH ~ Is, It __ informmon about itJdfln the bl1lini circuitry. Let

us aJIlhis infonn.ttional rrpremwion IkIn Il s...~ the inCorma· tionaIlepoeKI1bDon CM\ be ~ by decision omchinery (linn III). H.mnto: dtadtd Ihat ~ is pmoenI, the b.ain an Ihm ~ dIis ink>nnmon~, illowing II to uytlwt it is ~~ (Itrm IV). \~

on this~ lS~r b it the ~ ItUft hem I, tNt is the uIt;..

iNlclwis lOr W rqXII"Ill1 it W ~I~tion of~ in w bo.m, linn

11, tNt IS c:ompc:osed of inform.Iionll1 it the ~ proc:eM, Itftn III,

r:I ~ tlw ItptULntmor"o 2nd aunm:oriung lIS ~1 Or is it tbt vtdW ~ ltmI iVl Of coww, '"~ c;m arbitn.riIy define the won:! ~ 1IIigrIifIg~ toanyofthese ikms. But whdo ikmcomcsdotd; to the wmmon intwti"" undcnundmg of ~1

Comi<kr Itftn l tf th~ is such ;\l\ ~lity from. which inbmation about a~ne51 is Ullim.ll.lyd.nvcd, l ~;tllhirogon which OIlrrq>Orts

r:I ~ an: Ns.cd, and if _ rouId 6nd 0111 wNl lhal thing is,

wt mighl be $urpri~ by lis prupm.~ It mlghl be dlffcm.1 from w infonnwon ttw _ report on ~ h mighl be tomdiung quite sunple, mrdwtical, bourre, or in _ otMr ~ ino;ontistenl with our intwliON about ..-reness. W. mighl N b.UIlcd by the- rulity of

ltnn L W. mosht be oumgtd by 1M identi6utKlfl, ius' OIl Newton·, conttmporma '"'C're 0Il1~ when told m..1 th. physical ruloty of

wlulf light is I onutlure of ill colors. ~ is no reason to iUPPl* that

..., would l"KOgIliu Item I ill aWU.neu. 1hr thong to which the bnin Iw cogniti"" x.:css, and wrei"ort

the thing _ dt$CriN wbtn _ repoot on <lWUtness, is riot Item I but

~the brun·, inform>t:iooul dtpKtion o( it, Item II. Th. propertics

th.1t wt attribute 10 awan:ncs5 an: propertif:t dq>octft! IJl It.m It

The Real Item on Which t he Representat ion Is Based

On. doct not need 10 look fM (or the Item I, th. Il':a.i item on

which the report o( a~ne51 II hA5cd. Like SftlnJll a rod: and IMn

invutiJilo1ting and findmJll out thai what you 50. i~ nOI mt .... Jy;uo IUU-

so j CONSCIOUSNESS ANO THE SOCIAL UAIN

siGn, tlul theft is ind~ ~ physical ob;Kt in fronl of you, 110 100,.., an find ih.ol _..-._ is not IMrdy an lUusion With no Ns.i. but

t~t it ha$ a rtill, physical itom on which tM information ;. b.osN. Consider again tM C2Sot cf wlute Iit;bt- MOlt of tM ~ dw ~

pit rtpoo1 the e.:perie!l« cf wlut~ it Is b«.>1$ a brNd~nd mlXtUn:

of wa..mng!hs is ~ 10 tM qa. 1M 1NIch, InCidence by irKi· dmce, is do6e.lt is not <':DCt b«.>us.: a percepnW rn<><kl Ii not per· frctly accurllte. Sometim~ peoplo rq>Ort SHlng wh,t~ in rM ~bstnce OrlM 6p«ted physical stimulus. SolMtJmC$lh~ bro;ulb.>.nd S1imul""

is ~nl and P"OPIo ~ a drlf=nl color. Visu.Jm""lons abound. Bul by and~, almost all the 1iIM, tlul physical .stimulus u~s pn. ~ while. n.. two "'" corrmiW.

Following tMoatnI' Iogic, ..... should look for a pltysical. ob~ mo:UUrllbie ilnn tI:w is almost .tw..ys pment whm peopIr rq><>rt the ~ of ~ "lhtr.issucn an il~m, a physl0logicai proca.5 in IIw bnin, the pro.:cu of m ... tioo. ~ uniformly, wMn you anmd to ... itffll,)'OO.q>Ort bnng~ of It. " -" n.. mlIlch, ~~, is not

pnfut. 1~ ~ inslmcft..-.- it Is poI'ible 10 al1m<! to IIOrnf:Uung bJ' III objectiw nwaswa.. muning Ih.il )'001' br2m un ",lectivdy pro­eas it and rroct to it, and ~ at 1M unw time you rrport Ihal you ~,.., IW) aw.t.rrneu oflt.'~''''''·' "These ~ffedS em occur in IIOm~ casto

ofbr..in do~ bul an ;also b-r inducw in nonnal Mallhy voluntHrs. AwarrMU and altmtoon on: thMd"orr not I .... ~, S'""n thai Ih~ ..... be 1qWaItd. But they arc typically ~IW. WMn tM physi. al, nw.uo.tnl:W ptOCeu oi <>ttenlion ~ in the brain, when atten· tIon Isdm-cted ... tIunt! x. people aImM ~ rrpor1l .... plT$tflCC of ~ of thtnz x. For lhiI rruon, I ~ u.. attention is !tom I, 1M rrll phyoiQI ~tm, a ~ proaM, and ~ is Ilem n, W Infonnotion.al rrpoamtabon ofit.

. ~tioo\, ~ Ulenbon u It is W><kntood by nntro-1IC1ml1SU,. I II is a compdibonllJ'"!'ftc«1 ligrWs in tM ~t OCCWI &c:i_ 0/ the speaf)( way I MUII)ftlI inttRCI with tadl othn. 0.... Jet of RgNls, curicd by one Jet of neurons, Ii"" in .strrngch and JUpp~ other, compclll1g signals arriw by other

F~II

aJ;te .... -h1l ... a:Ni neurons. For UoUl'Ipk, tho visu.>l do: of 11K ~ in a laM- If you ~ looking at a dutteftd ~, which mI~ model in your bnin wiU wU! the competition of

the onomf'I\l, OK in "F stmIgth.supprnsotUr moddJ, and domi­.we the hl'Wl'l comput-.IKXlf! This compdlOOn unong ~-tM prootA by which one ~gnoI ""'" and domiNies for • II'"IOft"M'nt, thm smits down as anochrr Jignol dominatH- is attention. Attenuoo ..... y

be romplkated, but it il not mysterious. It is physially uoo.,rtUnd.

abk. It could be buil! Inlo. cirt'lliL The cOf'ftJpondcna bi:twffn ilWann~ , nd attentloo is <10K. In

the previous cluptcr I outlined. list of simlluil~ and In LUff ch.lp­kn I will di5CU$S the rtlaoonship in ~.trr d~l. 1M two :an 50 wniLu thlIl ,\ it tnnpW>g to think thq might be tho: "'"'" thing with no dist.ncbOn at allll\lliMft is • fund .. mcot;u di~ Attention, tho: compdllion ;amo;.g sign.Us mel tho: ~ of sigrWs in tho ......... IJ. rnrdw1istic: prqeu.1t ISnot upIiot ~ A~ in COOtrul, is ac:cus.ibk .. t;g>bgt ~ The !min ~ lion but ""-~ ~ The uUlio"""l" betwffn attention and aw;lll'neM is th<",fort uxtly the rtlationship bet...·et-n Item I and Item 11, bclWffn • I'ullhing and • rtprt~nl.tiDn of it in the brolln that is cognilivcly l(uniblc. AWI",neil, in this view, is • description, a u,;tful if ph)'li. <:ally in.ccu~tc ske-tch of wh.t ;1 mean' for the brain to forol 1\$

.ttt11tion. I imagimo th.it molt people will balk .t th~ ideo. th.il .,,'an­

naI is I:w«I on 1M phys;al ",Wry of • compllated, mKhanlstic, <bu-h.ind~ng pn>CedIIn: in tho: bnm. lhc on<: _ to etlw:n:al :ond ~, 1M orher .. roncrt'It ~ mWldane. l.iUwisI', r«wto.is contcmporanes __ white IigIlt all dhcn:aI. spmr;ual, dNtk.:ond holy,

and ~ AW. mmun: of the colon, mashed loptMr inlO """ Iw~ "' tometIunx dirty, mec:1wUstic. ftductionisI;. :ond ....,pIy impouiblc to im>glM all tho: basil for whitt. But " is. When shown Ih.il phyoi­cal itnn, pmple almost alw;>y$ ~r tht- construct of whitt in the..­hco~ .. S,m,l.;r.rIy, gi¥rfL the physical proa5J of alltntion directed at

U I CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE SOCIA~ tRAIN

thing X, the brain almost aiw3yI ronWuCtJ 1M rqlOfUhk kn~ th>t ,,!.,. an ethnW, 5IIhjKtiw ~waJ'ftIeU ~ on tlungx.

The Uy to undn1unding thr ottenoon Khtm.> theory .. to under­iWId 1M disttnroon bHwftn 1M Iwn I bt ... ~IN ;md the 110m II Uu1 ~U it. When "'" inU'<l5pKt. ..-Mn "'" d«ido: whol iI inside of us, 1M machinery of ,iKisio ..... u.king does not have dum _ 10 Ittm I, 1M procfil of _nlion, beausoe: Ittm I is not ;~lf lCI:e5Sible ,nformation.. II ill procNuraLll i. something U;; br.oin ~ nol 50mctbutS the brain knows. IMirad, Ihe cognidve mxhutery Ius KCUII 10 Item 11, and 50 when ~ dKide what, t.ucdy, ~ have inside of us. ~ uri .... at 1M properties dHaibed by hom JI. We ~p<)rt :m apm.tllCt,. fttling,:m aun,sornrthinlJ etht~..J, something lncorpo­~..J, brause that IS the: bnin'! ~ WOIy 10.t.rp;ct .tlmOOn.

(). jlfO'-">o 1Nd­

~ I"- '" WS h> £).c«sS to ~

•

4

Being Aware versus Knowing

that You Are Aware

In 1M p~yious chapter I iiUggestnl 11\;1.1 r.n.~n_ is infOrm;lbOn

"w;<>ikd in lhe brain. BUI am I m1$IUIDs .w.mneM itwlf for th~ WsU"Xt knowl~ thai ~ ha,~ i111hiJ du.ptef f;OfIJidtn tilt dis­Mction Ntwffn ~"f .,.. .. ~ of 5OmWUng;and "'-/If tb.11)'O'J = "",~~olil.

The kn~ Out)'Ol' an wS£inuo is III HMnrk ofl!lNOOpi· ~n, or hlgbcr:ordef thOUght' J so-aIkd thinking about tlunlcing. 1

do not wish 10 gi¥e 1M incorrtct impression tNt the ~tttnti<:>n scho:nu

theory is .. mct;lcognilion thwry of con$clousnHS. In Ih( I'~nt thtoo')', Ixhind the mel;>rognition, behind the hightroOfdtr thought, Mhind the dKision thai you <LA' ooru.ciowliu lhe attention Khem:!.

In 1996, tht philo5.0phtr Block' propo~ th.1 ~ luvt two

ltind~ of conKIPus_ Intuitiwly W't Iffl iJ\il ~ h>"" .. ",w inner Ui"ffrnce of rotOrs, wund5, romtiom. and o\hu eftnll {pllenom­t!lOll COn~t:M)l"'" also ha, ..... morl' abJtrad, CognilM .bility

to !hUlk .bout;uwJ <q1Ort on ~ upcrionca (iKCH4i conscious­IIQI). DoH the .tlt"lion Khmu tbeo<y eqlUtc ~ with h'gher.onkr thought, Uin to Blod:i ,K£e5f co~ or ~ it equ.olr COnKlOli.U>HS with somdbing mort now and p<'raptual,

akin to 81<><;:1<:1 phenomenal conKiollsnUJ1 1M .ttention schema Ihwry ... rgu~bly (ncomp>sselI both.

In the pnvioul ch~pttr 1 outlined a limphfitd ...... y to divide the

"

u , CONSCIOUSNESS ... NO THE SOCI ... l ..... IN

bram's processing of consci0u5neu inlO lI~ml' Ihrough IV. H~ .. I wspsllhatllems' ilIld II an ~ thought of as mOre liu Block's phtnomtnll coru.cioU!.MS$. lMy er>«!nlpui tht nw rru.tmll (lt~m I) from which informHiOfl ~bout .wa .. ness il den'oW UK! ~ rkh Informational dtplction of il (Item 11). It~m' Uland IV cor· ~nd more 10 Block's access conKioulnen. They tneomp"'" the cognili~e ca("'cily (Item Ill) to ~teess that Information ~t aod tltract IlImmuy Information and Ihe ability 10 formlllal~ a verbal

report (llem IV). SuppDJC' thai you are looking al a ~~ing room. Your visual sys.

tern conlains information ~bout the vi$llal Kent. Other processes In yout brain :Ill' able to abslrKl from Ihal dala fet. For uamplc. if you a .. asked. "Which is talln: the lamp or Ihe piJnol" some ~t of cognitiw pmce • ... In your bn.in can hp tm trow of visuosp;1'

tUl infonnJ.l"'" and compuu that 1M Lunp 'stalln, a wnplt reb· tiona! propo<ltion abstncttd from the dll.1 fet. Sunil.trly. you nuy compute thai the rouch is to tht kft of lhe c ..... r. another .. btion.al

proposlt"'" ab5t~ from thr dill HI. These wm.liud rq>OTU rep,""nl a Imy /'n.ction of tht infonNtion plUtnl ln the v;su.al dll.1 Ht.1I il nO use trying 10 verl>.ali", atlthe lnfomuhon In the dala ~L llCan'l be done. Th~ diu Ht i. 110 rich and 110 a.wog in n~ture thai it

II not an easy 6t 10 the constraint. oflangu.S". AWM1:no1&, in 1M pro1c:nl proposal, won. IIOmelhing lih the

pl'OCfti.ng of a visual Ktnt. The brilln constructs a dau let thai p.lints a rich picture of you. own attention dlrl:Cltd at $Omething. the ~t.t>l and umporal dyn.unLa of )'O\Ir attenlion, the implka­

\ion$, !Iv loUly clrKlS of tt on be .... vior. The <bll let is $0 rich and compla that it is ~ WlWrbahubk. 1his dili: HI i. compo.nblc: to BIOCE I p&IiOInmil ~ Other poe I ... in the b ....... rogruuw pt'OCo1, ... , ~ abIt 10 accus and abslrKI from tiQl infor· nwion 5tt. For u.>mplc, you might dKide and rq><>rt tNl you ;ore

aW;l .. of X, and I .... t you ~n: roo .. aWM1: o( X t/un ofY. These dt(i. lIonl and IUmmuy I\]IUmcnts an: n:miniscml of Block's ac~ consciousness. They "'" cognition aboul conlCiou~ness. In this way,

•

a.;ng __ KnowInt~_"""''''''155

one could think of Ih( prnmt Ihtory as tncompusing both pi>f,.

nomena! consciousness and acceN co~ I do nol munlo pullOO much ~mphasi$ on a simple, rigid dichot­

omy btfw«n p}",""""'ruJ con$CiouJneN and accuJ con.sdousnell. I 1m «rum th( ruhty i, m...., complu thIn a dichotomy; In ill liktl,i>ood, coruciousn(ss, lik( ''lSu~1 processing, connol I>< accu· rudy braUn Into a dichotomy. IWb.ops a continuum of processing w$lJ from a more IOIw informational modt~ through many ckgrttI of a"'lnc-IIon, 10 tht highest 1",,1, of cognitive OJI"ntion such as formuLaung an tlp~cil v.:rbol rq><>rt..

AJ an enmpk oftht ml.nngof~ in comdousntsI,Sllppost

a~ln tbat you are looking at a gret'n applt. You. COgmtlVt nuchin­(1)' Cln decide and report that you are awUt of grtt'n. Sut you nn >Iso be ~ of thr: drdding U>d aware oftht reporting. 1M~­ntIS fUNn can bt appHt<l 10 m~ny of tht intt~ning Ileps. It il not bmilt<l to th( input (nd. 1M distinction I><twffn phtnomtnal 00fIIci0uJneJI on thr: ont hand and thr: obltnet know~ that you an consc:;ous on tht other hand bo<:omes nthtr fuzzy, ',nCt you C"~n apply tht ont to the: other. You can h .... ph(nom~n.1 consdousntN of J'OW" accu& consciousness. 1M IVai divisions Inuk d.own, and the dIChotomy 011_ to IYv.: much - nwaning.

]fthe dichotomy i. iffy, then why bring up this con«pt of phe_ IIOnltn.lI CORIIciousntsI and aa:es.I ~1 My point 1><.., io thai, by ougstst'ng tlut conscioouUIeN is infomulion,] un noll bmit.

ing the th~ to cognition, .b.llOIctlOn, highcr><>rde. thought, simple vnWliublt propocitions, or xaM consc:iou$neu. 1M hyp<>thmr.td ;II!Itnbon Khtm., hltt a "'NOfJ Ofpoescnwion, ;s a rich :md con­st~tIy updatt<l infonnatlon ~t thai can itstlfbe ilCCtsStd by cogniiM: ~ Bta.1I$t the .ttention Khrnu is propmcd to be similu-to a ttnsory 'tpoc:wnwion_beaust tho brain UItt tho alWltion schtnu ill a model for • physially..,.1 enllty, ;ust as it usa a 5<'IUOf)" rq>rc:wn_ IlItion as a modtI for a physially real (nliry- the bnln should lu ... no basis for Hligning the attention scMmI. any less ..,Miry. In this tMory, ius! as Ihe bnll1 law the viJu;d descriptions in visu.J drnutry as ~.J

Q

56 I CONSCIOUSNESS AND HIE SOCI"'~ U ... IN

thiPp in I ~.J world, ... too the bWn Wa ~ its represen~ tioo of amnuon, U I rul esKnCE iMido: tIw body.

1M IttentionKlw:ma thtof}'rouId br WeI 10M h1If-way brtWftll two common vkwJ,. In 1m groundlmUing book in 1991,' ~1UWl

uplomi I cognitivE approach 10 coruciousMll, sus&eitmg tNt tIw co .. "ept of qualia, of the in ..... , pn""e upemnCt$, i. ,n(oher,"t.nd thus"", Clnnot truly ~ them. Othus, Judi U !knle: .u~tcd th.t Ihe inner, Jubjectinc $late ulsll by definition ilIld " ,mmune to ;>.!tempts 10 uplilil it away. 1M prt'Kllt view Ion ,om,whe~ in

betweell; or p"rh.:ip" in the pl'titnt vitw, tht dishncuoll bctWffn ~Il .... tland !kule M.:OmH moot In 1M attention Khema theoo'y, the bmn conlalllll rq>resen"'tion,. rich infomutio .... 1 des..-:nption. 1he !hIng Ikpictcd in such mWln is uper""nst0f!!:..i.s ,t .till it ~l %. i' mtlrrllfit is depic!t<i thtn donn't ,t Iuw. t>r of Jlmul>.led ~:Wty!

If .~CSJ is Item lib, the impoH.ble, pri ... te, ~ly thlllg tIw is depic:kd by the infomution of Item Ita, then whether .wan:n~ uilll 0< not btcomt,s ph,losophially murky_It i. dtunbcd by the bmn, not produced by lhe: brain. It uiru only <loS a .. mutatIon. Yet btoUK Ihe item WI is described is.., gauzy, so ethe~"', and 1<1

mIlCh ~U. Jimubtion Om: must .sk: ifit i. ,imulatt<i, .nd ifit is ""p­posN to be • thing like alimubtion, Ih.n dNI it not actu.ally Hist !

My point he:~" WI it is possible to be m«hamtlic ilIld philo­""'ru"'I.IIM. ... """ time. Th. attention Klw:".", Ihwry providH. 1pm6c. m«~ ,,"0l1Il1 of ~""" of ill brain basJs, what il I. "'* oul of IIId how "'" ;m .bk 10 rq>Oft it. "Ow: thwry dCp"nds on nothing beyon.d the nUll ;md bell$ of .... urons mnsmtttmg and computingln~ y",...., stoll hoOT room for some ph,'-'phi­aJ~

I am mninded of Mw>tte's ........... ~inlmg. Tilt T..,..uwry of I~ He plinttd > pope w,lh impt"Qll~ rulisrn and beneath it plinlM the words, OCto n-Qi p;ls une pipe." This is not a pipe. T~lally, It is. ~~nullon of. p'pe, not l pip" its<eIf. t.hgrinc uid, The famous pipe. How pwple rqorwcht<i me for it!"' If pwpJe

h.rve trouble agrerins on the aistenlw ruI,ty of a P'I"' btauufully mwkrtd In a pWlting, think how much hankr it is to .agrn: on the tDStrnti:ai ruhly of a beaullfulaW3Jaltsi rrnde~ Of dao:ribtd by informllion in tht bnm.lt is rut II WIt ~al. iht attention IChfm.l theory daft not rven 5ftk 10 ans-r the qUHtion of iU a;'knlw

~aLty but [MIUd trits 10 describe wtw. is (OMtrucltd b tht b . . cou ." 0 .... ';llVltsl U information. One could .lso think

ofit '" the 1"""ly ghost descrihf<.l by thaI infonn.tion.

5

The Attention Schema

The h~art of 11>( throry is WI ~ ..... u,,"" is ~ sd\c!nutiud, <ktcrip­I," modc::l of altenllOlL ~ mO<kl is not pcrf«tly...:c\U">lt, but

II is good (....,...gII to ~ useful It is 3 rich infornuuon lid, .. rich IS I selUOf')' ~t;uion. II an bt bound to a ~rrwnl<\llon of ~ objcc1 u though i\ were another Sf'1UOf')' attribute lib color or mobOn. 1lw added infom\;ltion an inform highu-onkr, oogniti",

~ thereby i1lowing US 10 dtcidt and co...:lude and btU ...... and rtpOrt that we are .... ·au of somrthing. The P"rpoM' of tbe pm­tnt ,hapttr is 10 uplore furthe, whal lru.1 modd nllghl be. lib and

wk.\ i', compontnlS might be. Gentrally, when the b.-.in constructs an inrornution.1 rep""e,,­

ulion of IIOm.mlll&> the acbpti'''' :ad~antlgt is obviouf. The brain

constructs infornulional moods of tntit,es in the re.1 world. 1h~ modolJ an be manipubted or romuJled in order 10 pLl.n :KUOnS or m»:. prtdictions.ln this IItn'" oM'scogmliw proc.~;on: bkr gtn­

rnb in • wu room pushing rnodrls of 50Idim and unks around • !Nfl. OIMowJy. alV"n p\.lstic umy nun is diffe~1 from an Kt>W hlUlWl HIldie.; but for the putpoJ<' of' pUnning 'tnltg)'. II an do "ft)' wtll. SutuWiy. the ~ of. model in th. bmn 11 10 be ilK­

fuI in inttr>octing with the world, nOllO be ;a«uratlt. Htft ] would likt: to d:rnfy wlut I mun by "modd" sontt tht

""On! II \I§td In diffell'nt W;l.YS in d,ffell'nt Kientilic $ubd;,cir~n" .

..

60 I CO~SCIO\JS~ESS A~O TH~ SOCIA~ UAI~

I mew _thong dow: to 1M roIloq..w trnn.. [ nwan IIOm~thing rNuctd, JimpWKd, and con~ent, Uut t't'plal'nts somethong elK _ complk~led, I,u a modd:urpLuw!: t't'preKflts a r.".I~,

or l plutk sokJio" t't'pre5m1S a rul one. A modelln the br:lin, In lhts ..... of 1M word, is 1lI infonn.ttlon wi Uut is constructed ~nd con· stantly updattd by n~uron..! rNldtinery and tlut fllf'I'H"nt~ IIOme·

thing ~fulto monitor and predict. A Jlmila. u'" of the word can be found in Johnson·l:tird·s cI ... k book on mel..! models. I

If lw .. "neSi is infonnation, if ,t il a rich !nformalion~l mod~l akin 10 a ",nlOry model, then what is its counterparl In lhe fIIll world? What i. ,t a modtl of11he htart ofthe thwry is !hat aWlfllne .. " • ....,dd of attention. The purpose of this chapter is to prov,de a bnef ovrrview of attention, 10 discuss the possible ~ptivr :advanUgcs of modeling [I, ;md to begin to OOtliM some of the proptrun th.lt a

....,del 0([1 migbt conUin.

What Is Attention and Why Is It Useful to Model?

AJ I nottd before, the word "ru~'io~ has many meanings, t.pt'Ci.olly In ool1oqui"! English. I USO' the word [n a neur(>$Ckntific stnse.1 am referring to a JIlcchanmic p!J!'C!~ in the br.aln. Attention can be understood .. lust pmIy Ihrougb a !hl'Oflltkal fn.mework ailed biased compniuon..... The bi.lscd·compeution fn.mework was

~Iopt-d by studying tht QSt of YiIu.U attention. Normally, many .-illUl nimuli an in front of US at the ~ tU'M, and therefofll thf: rom constructs InlItf rtpf'tSttlWions. These ~nlatiom of Itlmuli compc1e wilh uch other. 1hcy inhibit exh nthn-. AJ one rq>matl>lion risa up in strmgth and winlthe competition, it sup' pI'II$MS other rep' CknWionl.

11m: comprulion can be inlllK'nad by a YlIricty of sign.ili-. OM type of Jlgn.J is n1led bottom'$!- A bottom.up .igo..! might be, for =mple, Ih. bngbtn ... or tilt suddtn onset of. JI;mu!us, which Can uuso' the ~pre5tnUtion oftlut '!'mul~s in the brain to gain sign..!

JtmIglh and "",n 1M competition. A ~ I~ of NgtW if alltd IUp·down. An a1mple of a IOP·down sigNl Is a choke IU look al I ~ of~, for ~ c~g 10 look on ,our ~ide bbl~ to 6nd your gI;wu. Another a1Il\pIe of a lop-down SIgnal is a choic~ to look through I crowd spedfically for a man in a red hal.

The comb,natIOn of top.down and bottom·up NgnaU will bw the competition on f.tvor of one or :anothn JUm ...... rq>retEnt~JDIL

Once a !\ensory ",presentation has won the com ilion and itt $ig. n.lI t "'J'f'CM'nbtion if much moll' to

rive the behavior of the animal. It is $hOllbng louder th.ut CMher

~~~~I~~~~.~.~"~.~,~,;~.~,~"~.~p~~~.~IH~'~by~W~h~"~h~;~~seizes on a

Ngnal, focuses its intelligent computation on that signal, procQ$ft the signal in a dup manner, has itJ eogrulive m;oehmerydnven by that SIgnal, and tends to control behavior on the basis of that sig·

nal The tar~1 o( attention need not bf a ~bualslimuJus.lndeed, It nud not even be any kind of unsory flim .. I .. 5. It is pos~ible 10

alttnd 10 an idea, a mO"ement, an emotion, a belief, a memory, a Imell, a taste, a lOund. a combines all of

those propenief. em apply to a

brain. Anention, espKiaIly visual attention, Iw been !>tuily studied,

and a sreat deal has bttn written about it. [ would ~kt 10 focus on OM a5p«t of anention thai is not onually conilidered: its u.sefulne ..

itt ~octmg behaYior. If )'011 could know one thing aboul an uumaI 10 best predict its behavior, I JUgge.<l lhal allenlion..t $Iale would be tho. wiHst choice. If ,ou could know whal the animal if attendons 10, how mIlCh of Its attention il :UIoat1:<l to 1M iltm, and wh.it the con· '""Iutneu of attention are, Ihtn you would gain conside",ble ablhty to prmicl the animal:' !>th;avior. 1M re_ is $imply that .lInM1l:<1

~

U I CONSCIOUSNESS ... NO HIE SOCI ... L UIIoIN

ittnu ~ mOlT of Iht procusing In Iht br.ain th .... un.otterukd

ikms.,d thus lend to drift 1M arumaI', IN'IiiYlor. ...... -,:or eumpk, if I ;un ........ telopo! In tht mdt ~ Hoe" hon, it it ustfi.,I lOr 1M 10 know whtthcr that \lon", altntlion I. focused OIl

1M Of OIl ",mttbong el.:e. It it; useful for 1M 10 understand the basic

dyn.unia of atttntion. Iflam .11'IOfIkey with a hood wound on my!.sand a..,bordtnatI: mon­

kry come.I neAr, it is useful /Or".,.. In know if my wound os in !he pun'k"W of

the odltl' monkty', IItmtion.If "" then I mlghl e>:pec! • chaIImge 10 my domiNnt poAtion.lf not, then I an bluff my wayduough tht interxtion.

If! ~m lingle at • pmy and looking for ",mtbody to date, il may

be u~ful for me to know whtther thll or tNl woman', ~lIen"on is

J1y1y di,Klt<! at me.

If I am fighling for my hft with a home inYatkr, ;t ~ ulremdy lIItfuI for 1M 10 know whctbe, the INd guYI alttntiOfl ..... uhifttd to

tht knife !hot ~ptnl to be lying In tM kitchen $ink.. It will dew· mine my Ilrat<'g1 in the fight

Supp<»e I am at a jNrty. If I ;un on a diet, and 1 find myself M'inS dole attention to. pbte of colorful supr<O;ltN dougllnutll that some· body Iw ~I; on the tIbIe, if! lind that I an'l ~I them out of my mlOd, Ifl find they = capturingmpllrntion. thcn I an r1Uke a good predic· tiQn .bout my own h~1y short·term behavior. I mighl d«ide to move

away from tIut put of tht room or _10 • di/fc",nl room altogether

to get lhem out of my sighl, out of my mind-out of my attention.

1he alxM, aampies = r~thu 'p«ialiucl. 1 'uggesl that, in gmenl, to prrdlCt and therefore rifedJve/y interact WIth an Inlel·

ligent bnin"«lntrolJed ;agent, it ~ utefuilo coa$trud ~ consw.tIy

upomt • modd of the. .tufting lI.oIt of!hot agml'l antnOOn. 1",t U m",h, in plonrung your own beh.lvIOl'", it it: cnlkalto ~ " good ~ modd of)'OW" own likt)y actionJ; lherrfo"" .1 1$ U5efulIO

ronIIruct " model !hot rtprtw:nu your own a\kntion. In the. alU'ntion schema tbwry, awlrrMU lit"'" tIili; function. 11

I,. YUt, nch, coroltlntlyUpWted tnfomutional model wb~ purpo»t

1, 10 _fully drsrn~ "'" ronst.ntly cbanging llale of attt"niion.

1M Anont\oll Schwo\I I 6 J

Comparison of the Attention Schema to the Body Schema

• ~ was thr body scbc-ma, first )1I"OP05«I by

ik.d ~dH'''''''. ''' 191\.1 Todmfy eucdywhat [ mem bya schm..I and how a schenu can be useful to the brain, I will up\;o,n some ofiM Nsics of the: bodylCbema,. topicon wtu.:h I'~ worioed and I"'biUhcd Oft!" lTWly ynn.. 1M body scImna and the: attention schnno mzy

~ mon' Ibm a iOrm.>l Jimibriry. They mzy putWly....map. The body Khemail an inlernal "..oo..[-an org.>nizNf $d of

infomutlOn tNt represents tht: dupr, lilructurr, md mo~enl of

the body, tNt d.stmgulSMs Mtwuu obj«ts beIongmg to tht: body ... d obj«ts thaI arr fore'gn.

[I Is rur 10 eonfuR the body scMlIU w,lh 1ow.1e>'l'I Sfrulng.

The body 'I nUw with mKhankal SfnlOn Ih~t ,ndicate the angln

oljoUlu and pm,ooru ofhmbf. That SfMOt)' jnfomutlon must be put Iog<'ther somehow In the broun.1M rrpresenUtion of the body, ~, II more complex than a mrrr rrgi"rr of joint mgles. [t

in.corporates ,nformation from many _ICeS. For e.umplr, you can lurn about the position of your arm by looking at it . You can learn .about the position of your legs by extrapobtiug from the """",m.m! ~ornoundl that you rrcrntly Sfnl to thrm. You can deduu oomr· thing about the "ate of your body by uJing bu\c knowlrdgt- about ill jointtd slTUeWrr. Your bra,n pullll"B"lhn a d,versity ofinfonna· lion and uses il 10 build ... d.bor<llt, inner model of your physkal orlf, of ill CUJnnt lute and ,ts poMiblr future lUlU. Thot model is

tht: body idlema. Figure 5.1 di1gr.lms thil concept of IlUny oouref"

of Lnfonnallon converging on a «"nlm body scMm.>.. One oflhr most charming <kmonstr<ltioru oft"" body sd>mu i.

tht:to-<:aIlrd Pinocchio illusion.: A ~ closes his rynand touc:hes his nose with the tip of hil inda finger. Whiir the pmoo hoIdl tIut pose, the expnUnmtn uses a ribr<ltor to ribnlf a ttndon in the arm.

64 I CONSCIOUSNESS ... NO THE SOCIAL UAIN

.... /

\ ,_ ... _-/

AltmDon S<Mma

"'~.1. '. "=~ . . -flGUl ll J.I

1t.. tmdon ribntlOn pmduo.. l em.: Ngn.>l thit the elbow joint i$

robtJnS~ tho ... footthar tho ..... isakndtng. Nowtho penon'l body Khtm.o is &c.rd WIth onco"'P'tibW: irIfom..tion. He an fffi tlv tip of .... 6ngcr ag.>inst 1M top afhis -. Yet if .... elbow ist:ltending, then .... !wId mUiC be moving 3W<l)'from hil fxt.1lw !tiUItr"Doctor, my ...,. is growing! I fttl like l'inocchio!" 1t.. body scIvnu rtalibntes

itt ~ntWon of 1M si..., and shape of ~ Il'~"t body put. The Iliullon ~ not....m tho Olnw:' w.o.y for evnybody, The body och~nw

e

of dlifuenl ~ SttJT\ to .djust diff~nt p¥IS of the r'l'plUentUIon. For 5Oft\e people 1M inda linger fffiI: Ionfer,;and for _ pcopk 1M

tfI«t of1M tendon >'ibrllion Is suppmacd and tho: arm frds JUtion. ary. All of th~ outcome, an the result of the bnin doing th( bat it ~ to compute 1M mo5I. ~ configl>ntion of the body, the most

,tCCUnte body ~ wluJe Juggling wnI\iains inIOrrNtlOn. Another now-clusic demolUtnl;On of the body schema Is the

rubber hlIId i11uliion! A person sits at a table with her left ~nd in "'" LIp. Her nght hand 15 ruling on the w.K. -n... PCI'$Ofl cmnot 5H her right h.>nd-,,·, Clrn'm1 by o;:ardbond-but thr an....,. fw, rubbo,r hmd lying on the I~ble, arranged p!~usibly, someumc, tlick· mg .... t of •• ~, so t1ut it could lUnd in for hu own right 1wId. She knows cogniti..,ty tlul it is fu.,. Nobody Is If)'mg 10 foollwr. And Indeed, Jhe 1>" no .M'RJe ",""tsoc..,.. t1ut 11>1, hfek:ss rubb..r Iwtd bo,Iong5 10 I>er. Now the upcrin,enler picka up a snuU paint· bl'1.ll.h and begins to stroke tM rubber hand from the wrisI: to the knuckles, &om tl>e knuckles 10 tl>e tip of the inoo finger, and b.>d. At tho um. hme, oul of VIew, the UpI'rim@nterltrokes the $ubi«t"~ lui Iwld in preciKly Ib, aanl( ..... y. 51mb for siroke, the subject of the upmmenl fcds a ~int brtl5h movtng >o;1'1W her own !wid and _. a ])<Iml brush movmg ac:l'ON the (aU ~nd. Aller I few mmutes, In unc.nny illusion develops. The rubbo,l ~nd btgln, 10 f~lli"" the ",bject's own. This illusion is almO$l impossible to describe unIto1 11"'') you upcnence it yourwl£ r .... know, intclkctu:oUy, that Ih. rubber .... t' J" lund iJ rubbo,r. II isn't YOUI'$. And)"t'll powerful $frue com., ovw Ic"l­you that il IS yours. It isa put of your body. A tl>rell to it is • th .... t 10 you. 1hu ilI",ion is another uompIc: of the body SCMm.t lKOflCil· ing conflJctmg inrorm.atlOn, In thi. caM' the sighl of the bnuh on Ih. rubber h.nd and Iht feel oflhe brush on your own h;u,d.

Tho. rubbo,r ~nd illusion Iw ""'" betn $tudifd in m;u,y nrilnls. At one polOl my own L1b 5~ a Kt of MutO'" in the bl'lln WI ""'T au pply port of tbr machiMf)' bf,hind the rubber hond ilIu5lOn ... • Othtnl have UltndlNl the rubber hand illusion 10 (~II. I faiK Kn" 0( ownttslup over m ann, a torso, or m tnlln nurukin body."

66 'CONSCIOUSN~SS "NO THE SOCI"l IUIN

11M- body ~m.I is thought to be IIHfuI in a nn~ly of wa~ For aoomple, in 1911, Hnd and HoImH' ncMtd tJut WOrnnl who won luge Jutl with protruding n,athm could grt Inlo co>chn and

~I: through doorways withoul b~aking tho:ir katMrs. The beluv­ior JII~ltd dw tho: kathrrN lut had bttn ;lIODI'p<Inled onlo tht body KMma. Similar uarnple abound. When driving. _ ~m to

cu, ·n a dlstana: from ob.to· m EI::unples of this type sullKest thattM body K ~m.lII nn hrlp 10

~ntlin ~ ma'lin of ufetyaround 1M various parts and uten,ioos oftke body.

Thi:J dusk view, th..t tho body KMmlI i, u$N 10 mainllin ~ mHo

gin of Nfety around tho: body, i. in SOm~ w:I.)'I ftl.I~.lt i.,oo narrow a window 00 the body ~ma. We now know from control theory tlut almost ;my ~t an be controlled belter and morr flu· ibly if 1M con troll)'$lml an bp into a body KhtmoL On~ doe. not n«d 10 ruort to tho: uotic rnmpk of fea~ lull. Just ~adung for a coIf~ cup will do os wdl.

11M- body KMm.a ~ not rmrrly monltor tho: Slat~ of the body. The won:I_jl,,"~g imrMs too trivial a proceu. A modd of a com·

plu l)'IIem, such OS a computer model of the _ather, can imllate the dynamic. and all ow for prrdictiOnl! a merr moniloring proc~" cannot. In mowment control, wken trying to control an arm, for H amplt, a distinction c;1n be nude i>etWffn fudNck about tk~ lUte ofth~ ann (monitoring or tncking the arm) and constructing an Irltmo.J.l model of tn. arm (computing a simulation of th~ MTtO). 11M- u.sd"ulness of an interrW model th.u an prr-dict mo~m~nt at leu! a few SKOn<4 into tho futlm .. now ~nf!nUy understood. '~"

Mo¥rmenl control is 1\01. the only pDMibie USC for a body Khem... II * ~ M a role In ur><krstan.ding tho: bod;es of othtr people. For I9aIIlpk. if r<'" virw a picture of SOrMOn. else·, hmol u.d are uIctd 10 decide if it ;, a It II hand or a righl 1ww:I, the uS; •

.. t 'pproach, and the a~ that most Pf!Oplt md~ntly t:akr, is 10 imaginf! rotating yoour own right or left lund until it match\'!; the con6gum lon in tk~ piClun..'~""The typic,1 app~h. therefore, islo

UJt your own h.md $eMma 10 think ~bout or ju<Ig.e JOIlWOfM! ~lsc's Iw>ds. Whm people perfonn this Iuk, ~ns oIlhr brain tNl "'" bd.ieftd to be involved in the body schenu becolM ~ ..

When my own lab studJlNI the body Khr ..... , ~ encounterINI the foIlooo'lng ipOOky nptrietKe. Tab ~ penon, tuck his vmo In hi. shirt, ~nd piKe false: arms on him, Switch Ihe anns, such tNt the left ann il on the right and vi« ..,rs.o, Somd>odr else: looking at 111..1

person may not be able 10 spot the switch ImmlNliltdy, But the ~al, iulion th~t scm.llllog II wrong will jump out, Ahtmltively, Willeh a double,jolnt~d person bend hu ~Ibow b:lcicwud, The thought ofit

iSM'11O b.ld. but 10 Klu..tly see il g'ves you the hetbie ;eebia These coIorfI,l tnmpla iIlustr>.tt a property of the body $eMnu: ~ seem

to US4' our modtl of a body. of the ......mI physical structu~ ."d _menl oIthe human body, to evlh.r.>to: tht sute of othf,r people's bodies. In lhis _ . tht body schtnu can .act It .... a ~ntr.al ptrctp­

rwJ tngtllt.lt can be usINI to mO<k1 o.-If or 10 model tM bodia

of ollltn. in the prutnl theory, the attention schtmlli .imllar to the body

schema, R~thtr th.on rq>resenling one', phy$ical body, It models a difTe~nt tipKI of oneself, also a complu dynamkal l)'Item, tht protm of attentIon- the protess by which lOme tlgnals in the bnin ~ome fnh.meed at the UJl<'nsc: o( olhus, It is a pmlictive mooel

of attention, ill dyrumiu, its essential munlng, its potcntial impKI

on b..havior, what il can:and an't do, whal afT«U it, and how, II is. "mublion, 1M quirky way that attention shifts from pl~ 10 place,

from iltm to iltm. Its Ructuotmg intc ..... ty, its lp.>tW :and ttmpor.al rlyTwnia- all of these asp«U all' incorpDr.a11Nl into th~ model

UU the body schfm.>" tht ~ attentiOfl dItnu .nlegr;>la

m.ut)' soun:a ofinfomution.lf you an: oblorrvingSusan, 10 construct a moOd ofher :attention might mjuirr infomu.lion about wht~ $he

is looking, htr (.<:ill u~ her body bngu.o~. her sp«do. the objrru around htr at lIIe momtnt, .and your prior knowledge ;>bout htr, ThfSot InlIny sources of information converge and construn your modcl ofhcr att~ntlon, Wh.teYl:r ..... chinery computCS the attention

.. I CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE SOCIAL UAIN

~ must onttgrale muluple CUQ. 1lus compu!SOf1 brtwHn tIw bodr~;and the attention~ isdi~ on Fogu"' 5.1. ~ othn- ,.,...~ tuft lUgKftted WI _~m>eU rrught

~:u\ inlenul rnoo<Id of men!ion.".If Th$ pra'lOUIaccou.nu.,.,

Nwd on robotia ;and optinul..:ontrol Ihftlry.1n these KCOWIts, we

UK awuenell as a guide Sip to control our own attem.on. In the ume >ny, we ~:u\ intemal mo<.kl olthe;um to help control the Kt.w arm. [ ;un obviously a fan of this prior ~M'Ch ~ca,,~ of lIS Jimlluity 10 my own proposal. But [ think the previous sugg~stions

an: 100 limned. They do not capt,,", the compluity or bro;od useful· ne$l of a mockl ohttention.

The attention sehe ..... th~ory Joel beyond robotic" beyond con­trollhftlry, beyond the sp«ioc goal of ~Iing this Or thol mler· na! panmetl'r.lam IIJFtinJlhat the attl'ntion $Cite .... h"" a mOft gtn<:r;d!"Ok In undenundtng. ~icting. and J'lidtng ~hav;or. [t is a IOphisl:icatt<l model of 0"'" of the mOSI fund.-omental up«U of bnin function.

"'"VIr procell it. The nUl t_ chaplers deKriJxo mo", of Ihe pos. "bit pro~rtlel and .kbils of the attorntlon schema.

-

6

Illusions and Myths

1M theory propowl in t~ book <;an ~ Sllmnwl.N In 6w; wonk: ~ iI ;on attention Kh~~ A scmma is m information.ol

modd, coruWltly r«ompu~ th.1t rtpreM'ntJ IoOC1>dhing worth tndang ""d pmlict.Lng. 1M proposed :attention scmlN is • Kt r;>f inform.llion, u11 it .4., thaI rq»UtnlS attention.. Bul the ~. btion Iw iu OWT\ idiosynmtic, tvt:n UUiY;lpnt rro~rt~ WI

distmguim ,t from the mrch.n"tic and compliarnl item being np­resmlW,. What is included in tht ,monn.tion KI Al This ch:Ipter

aplO",1 how our intullions, cultural myths, and iIIusionl concern· ingawlrelllW might rt~al something about th. conttnt of the pro·

posed attention schema. Nnlrotcicnu Iw: spenl ~ t/wI. century studying 1M infor­

mmon content of rfpruenutions in the brain. Thew iludied '""'Pre, ImtationJ Include, for uunple. viswl, uctik, au,btory. tmoliorut md mtirr:1r abstrxt rtp~nbtions in vanous pua of the broin. I could writ. l multi.voIume tecl>ook on tJMo information o;on~ m a ~ ~nUtion vwi how that irlfomution is romputtd and t=Jormed in Sl,KCESlIW Aages in tbt braIn. A~ ~, is • d.JJcrent maner. IN: WomWion content of;>WU1t_ is no! Jtud. ied. 1M nason, courw, " dLaC most scimti!U and mOIl thinktrs

on tM 1 'c ~n nt'\~r consi&rrd ~ncss to bt rom of onn.>tion. Aw;trCnesll is :wumed 10 be something cl",lIOmethi"g ..