Single Idea 9286

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 1. Consciousness / e. Cause of consciousness]

Full Idea

Consciousness connotes a kind of external relation, and not a special stuff or way of being. The peculiarity of our experiences, that they not only are, but are known, is best explained by their relations to one another, the relations being experiences.

Gist of Idea

Consciousness is not a stuff, but is explained by the relations between experiences

Source

William James (Does Consciousness Exist? [1904], §3)

Book Reference

James,William: 'Selected Writings of William James', ed/tr. Bird,Graham [Everyman 1995], p.110


A Reaction

This view has suddenly caught people's interest. It might be better than the higher/lower relationship, which seems to leave the basic problem untouched. Does a whole network of relations between experiences gradually 'add up' to consciousness?