The Nature of Mind and Consciousness - Case Study Example

The Nature of Mind and Consciousness The nature of mind and consciousness has been discussed by many philosophers for years in distinctive manner. This controversial debate has produced many rational and factual arguments for the sake of determination of its explicit nature. However, the underlying facts remain vague and perplexing due to its reflective existence and varied characteristics. Yet, continuous argument regarding the presence of soul and its impact on different matters of life has been tricky assumption for the scientists. These scientists believed that every matter should be in its physical form, so to be studied and evaluated. Several theories provide rational explanation of soul’s physical being and its impact on mind, but few are accepted; however, none can suffice to be universally accepted. And, when the existence of soul becomes a self manufactured idea it jeopardizes the rational explanation for the existence of mental processes like consciousness as well (Aristotle, 1986). There are several explorative intricacies in understanding the nature of consciousness because science does not find a proof of its physical existence. Yet, the cognitive processes occur in mind and so is consciousness (a high order mental state). Aristotle presents his views on mind in a very distinctive manner and terms it as a part of soul, which enables a person to understand intricate notions of life in rational manner. He suggests that mind is the only way to understand and control soul and soul is the very evidence of its existence. The actuality of a human body is soul and soul can only be deciphered by the very matter of the body (mind). Thus, Locus of thought/mind majorly influences all the functions, intellectual decisions, and sensations of the body. A human mind is explorative and curious in its very nature; this investigative trait makes it differ from the mind of animals and makes them human to their very sense (Aristotle, 1986, 92). Moreover, it tends to accumulate knowledge with rationality to understand intricate phenomena of life. In its realm manner, consciousness makes it pragmatic for the objects/matters to be realized. Any matter’s nature which is either of subjective or objective nature; is a reflection of consciousness. According to Aristotle, consciousness enables an individual to realize the essence of subject or object. It provides an understanding of how the five senses develop higher level of realization of his inclinations or dislikes. To put it simply, it’s a way of viewing things and accepting their reality in our surrounding, but with the sight of the mind. This develops new and diverse perspectives of how to view different notions with or without the five senses aid. For the sake of understanding, Aristotle determines even animals with mind, body, soul and a basic level of intellect have perceptions about pleasant and unpleasant. However, they cannot distinguish between any action being right or wrong (a sense of rationality), which is the sole quality of human mind and soul only. This consciousness generates a pragmatic debate when assessed from the view of a functioning body organ ‘mind’, consciousness not only enables a person to recognize the unknown, but it enables the person to realize the known and distinguish the perception according to it. Aristotle ensured that the functioning of mind with the overlapping of soul should be considered biological phenomena of study like all other body parts. His emphasis is on the existence of soul, which enables mind in many ways to conceive the objective and subjective notions both. When a body experiences a sensation the instant recognition; is the ability of the mind to know the known, but qualitative characteristic, which further elaborates the nature and type of sensation and produces diverse responses is consciousness. High order mental theories decipher it as a type of awareness and the type, which is intrinsically built-in within human beings. The two mental states, the first and the higher mental order direct and inform each other for the experience one is in or needs to realize that he is in. The second or higher mental order is the state, where one is ought to take a decision or forms opinion on the bases of their inner senses. According to Aristotle, any situation does not develop a certain view of itself, but its human mental states and consciousness, which determine how any experience needs to be perceived. The above mentioned explanation proves that consciousness has an articulated structure and it can be further studied according to its peculiar characteristics, which makes it a pragmatic field of study that can be analysed further (Aristotle, 1986). According to his theory, soul and body has a composite nature and neither one of them can be explained or understood without the other (Aristotle, 1986, 12). Similarly, Consciousness is the very essence of soul of the mind it gives the ability to unite different senses with the sense of the object under speculation. It is a high order quality of actuality in human beings, which deems itself as a subject matter, so to endorse the object. This is better understood with the example of form and matter, which cannot be recognized if torn apart. Simultaneously, if body and soul are separated from each other the term ‘life’ ends ultimately from them. In the same manner, if subject and object are treated singularly the constituent nature of it; diminishes immediately and there is nothing more left to ponder upon then. On the other hand, David Chalmers raises the question of consciousness in the natural world of physical entities, which requires a scientific evidence of its presence. This is either contemplated with the notion of fresh perspective on consciousness or the natural world itself. He proposes that consciousness is stemmed from the human ability to evaluate and devise solutions for behavioural, situational and environmental problems or challenges. When a ‘being’ is into the subjective experience, he can gain the consciousness about its peculiarities and rationalities. All the senses, physical experience of the situation, mental imagery, sentimental development, thought process enable his mind to be in a state of consciousness. These cannot be proved scientifically, as science can only know how the message has been sent and which substance is responsible for transference and where it will be received. Other than that, none of the chemical processes show how the hypothesis on the bases of experiential knowledge is determined; this is singularly and exclusively explained through the theory of consciousness. In the cases of intricate issues, there are fundamental principles; physical processes and consciousness represents to devise solutions. Yet, all of it correlates to the state of experience an individual acquires at some point of life. Consciousness is not a mystery, but rather a puzzle, which needs to be discovered in a step by step manner. And, these steps will eventually determine how to understand this distinctive, but integral function of mind. Processes are explained in terms of their structures and functions and one deems to understand a function if its sub-units and mechanisms are studied (Chalmers, 1996, 5). However, if physical processes lack explanation of the objective functions; happening in the brain that does not mean they do not exist. Their existence is proved with simple example of hard and easy problems. For easy problem to be easy; there is a simple step by step cognitive procedure, which provides a coherent result and thus the problem is solved (Chalmers, 1996, 111). Simultaneously, for hard problems the cognitive support of the brain is not enough; it requires more than that an experience/ prior knowledge, which could make the issue a known aspect to the mind; and it can provide some knowledge to the cognitive part of the brain. Thus, if for hard problems explanatory functions are needed in brain and these are acquired after attaining new experiences. These new experiences develop a systematic approach to understand an intricate notion, which is due to the consciousness as it enables a person to distinguish one experience to the other; and determines its peculiar attributes as well in the form of an opinion or judgement. References: Top of Form Aristotle, (1986). De anima: On the soul. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Classics. Top of Form Chalmers, D. J. (1996). The conscious mind: In search of a fundamental theory. New York: Oxford University Press. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More