8 papers in the library · publishing 2021
Being and becoming January 1, 2021 Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Vera Nenadovic
Buddhist philosophy aligns with scientific findings on self-awareness and the nature of life, emphasizing the core concept of being and becoming. These teachings offer ways to endure life and simplify it for greater enjoyment, resonating with the themes explored in earlier parts of the work.
Being and becoming January 1, 2021 Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Vera Nenadovic
The chapter explores how the brain perceives the body, focusing on illusions of ownership and out-of-body experiences. It addresses the concept of free will, using clinical examples from epileptic patients to illustrate what seizures reveal about volition. Neurostimulation studies in patients further illuminate aspects of free will.
Being and becoming January 1, 2021 Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Vera Nenadovic
Concepts of the self and consciousness have evolved across different historical periods. This chapter briefly reviews Hellenistic, Roman, and medieval neuroscience ideas, drawing parallels with modern scientific perspectives discussed earlier in the book. The historical views are presented as precursors or contrasts to contemporary understanding.
Being and becoming January 1, 2021 Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Vera Nenadovic
Consciousness appears mysterious largely because of how it is defined. The chapter explains that the source of this mystery lies in the concept of emergence—the idea that complex systems can exhibit properties not present in their individual parts. By examining emergence, the authors aim to clarify the nature of consciousness and the difficulties inherent in defining it.
Being and becoming January 1, 2021 Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Vera Nenadovic
Dissociative identity disorder (DID) alters—distinct personality states—each possess independent thoughts, emotions, sense of self, memories, and behaviors. This examination considers what these dissociative phenomena reveal about the nature of the self and consciousness, suggesting that the self may be more fragmented and multiple than traditionally conceived.
Being and becoming January 1, 2021 Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Vera Nenadovic
The idea that greater complexity in the nervous system—more brain cells and interconnected neural circuits—leads to higher intelligence and a sense of personal identity is examined. The work addresses what this complexity implies for consciousness and self-awareness, arguing that as neural complexity increases, the likelihood of these phenomena emerging also rises. It explores the relationship between structural complexity in the brain and the development of self-awareness and conscious experience, suggesting a direct link between neural organization and subjective identity.
Being and becoming January 1, 2021 Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Vera Nenadovic
Split-brain patients, whose corpus callosum has been severed, provide evidence that the sense of a unified self and the feeling of free will may be illusions. The chapter reviews how each hemisphere can act independently, yet the left hemisphere constructs post-hoc explanations for behaviors initiated by the right hemisphere, suggesting that conscious will is often a narrative interpretation rather than the cause of action. These cases challenge the notion of a single, integrated self and raise questions about the nature of consciousness and agency.
Being and becoming January 1, 2021 Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Vera Nenadovic
Phenomenal self-consciousness arises from connections between the self and objects; stronger attachments to people and possessions nourish the sense of self. In a world abundant with opportunities to possess things, robust attachments develop. Reducing these attachments may diminish the size of the self and ego.