this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2023
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I had a challenge to this idea, but after I thought about it more I'm going to take it in a different direction.
Consciousness seems to be an emergent behavior of at least some complex systems (what systems qualify is unknown). Just sticking with my own neurons, each neuron simply reacts to the signals sent to it and then sends out it's own signal. No neuron has the full context or is necessarily even aware that it's playing part in my own consciousness. Even I don't have the full context of what's happening in my brain.
If we extrapolate this to group behaviors then we can't assume any greater consciousness is any smarter than it's parts.
I think consciousness is all about experience. Neither the neuron, nor you, Ron (I assume your name is Ron for the pun), has the full context. However who has the more complete conscious experience? You are able to touch, smell, see, hear and taste. A neuron is not. Who is to say there aren't other senses in the higher consciousness that are beyond your comprehension, Ron?