Single Idea 7366

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 3. Eliminativism]

Full Idea

If one wants to settle on some moment of processing in the brain as the moment of consciousness, this has to be arbitrary.

Gist of Idea

It is arbitrary to say which moment of brain processing is conscious

Source

Daniel C. Dennett (Consciousness Explained [1991], 5.3)

Book Reference

Dennett,Daniel C.: 'Consciousness Explained' [Penguin 1993], p.126


A Reaction

Seems eliminativist, as it implies that all that is really going on is 'processing'. But there are two senses of 'arbitrary' - that calling it consciousness is arbitrary (wrong), or thinking that mind doesn't move abruptly into consciousness (right).