Ways of Seeing
- Exploring Modern Metaphysics -
Consciousness and Volition
The following observations by the author are relevant to answering the questions: What is "I"? What is all this?
You may find some of them interesting.
1. One may be Conscious of Experience.
[Experience: changes (such as sensations or thoughts), distinctions between the various changes, interpretations of (or feelings about) the changes and distinctions, and preferences between the changes, distinctions and interpretations.]
2. Many interpretations of Experience are possible.
3. Consciousness without thought/interpretation is possible and, when experienced as an act of will, very illuminating [since it shows you that your thoughts and interpretations are yours, that is, the choice is completely yours of whether you have thoughts/interpretations or not, and if so what they are (even though you might not always effect them)].
a. Right now your brain is processing electro-chemical impulses from your various sense organs according to how your DNA structured your brain and according to your previous experiences and interpretations. After accomplishing statement 3 above, you will see that you can interpret those electro-chemical impulses in any way you choose, though choosing how you feel about these interpretations may be difficult since some of the electro-chemical impulses (like those signaling problems with the body, i.e. pain) are rooted deep in the DNA basis of the brain's structure. Choosing your interpretations or how you feel about them can also be difficult if your body or brain is impeded by disease, malnutrition, etc. Barring extreme forms of these conditions you are completely free to feel anything you want and make any interpretations you choose, though there may be certain limitations involved, such as the following:
4. One can interact with (modify existing) Experience and create (new) Experience as an act of will.
5. You can, if sufficient Volition is exercised, be completely free with respect to the following internal interactions with or creations of Experience:
a. Attention Choice - you can direct your attention or awareness to various sensations, distinctions, interpretations, preferences, feelings/emotions, desires, thoughts, consciousness, etc. in any manner you choose.
b. Interpretation - you can interpret (or question/critique) the objects of your attention in any way you choose.
c. Imagination - You can imagine whatever you want if you are persistent.
d. Decision - you can decide to do anything you want, but if it is to do something in the external world you may not be able to implement it completely unless it is very modest in scope or happening anyway.
6. No matter how much Volition is exercised, you can never be completely free with respect to the following external interactions with or creations of Experience (except possibly with the perfection of Virtual Reality, a perhaps dangerous and certainly less fulfilling solution):
a. Attainment - although you can decide to do (or sense) anything you want, you can not attain or implement it in the world unless it is very modest or in the process of happening anyway.
b. Expression - you can express yourself to whatever extent your brain and body allow, but your success at convincing others of something in the world will be very limited in most cases. And in most societies you will be subject to restraint of expression in one way or another.
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