I think you are confusing high and low level processes. The brain is comprised of many subsystems developed through the evolutionary proccess. The circuits that allow us, for instance, to avoid sudden motions are much lower (brain stem, amygdala etc.) than the neocortex which is the sit of higher level proccesses such as rational assesment. These circuits are activated before the signal is proccessed by the higher levels but not because they have a list. They are just optimised for certain very general situations.
No, I’m not confusing the two. Certain actions are performed by the reptilian brain and others by higher functions. Observing professional sportsmen and women it’s obvious that even these reflex actions can altered. My point is, if muscle memory can allow us to operate on autopilot, how far does the ability of the subconscious extend? Is it possible the subconscious controls all actions and the conscious only becomes aware post facto.
Sure, but I am not sure how that relates to the ‘list’ idea. In any case, I believe it is quite evident that conscious and subconscious levels are constantly interacting with each other so it is not a case of all or nothing. If you are interested in the (not yet resolved) question of their interaction and the source of action in general the book “The Illusion of Conscious Will” by Daniel Wegner examines whta you refered to as the ‘post facto’ perspective in depth (providing experimental data). A fascinating book!
I think you are confusing high and low level processes. The brain is comprised of many subsystems developed through the evolutionary proccess. The circuits that allow us, for instance, to avoid sudden motions are much lower (brain stem, amygdala etc.) than the neocortex which is the sit of higher level proccesses such as rational assesment. These circuits are activated before the signal is proccessed by the higher levels but not because they have a list. They are just optimised for certain very general situations.
No, I’m not confusing the two. Certain actions are performed by the reptilian brain and others by higher functions. Observing professional sportsmen and women it’s obvious that even these reflex actions can altered. My point is, if muscle memory can allow us to operate on autopilot, how far does the ability of the subconscious extend? Is it possible the subconscious controls all actions and the conscious only becomes aware post facto.
Sure, but I am not sure how that relates to the ‘list’ idea. In any case, I believe it is quite evident that conscious and subconscious levels are constantly interacting with each other so it is not a case of all or nothing. If you are interested in the (not yet resolved) question of their interaction and the source of action in general the book “The Illusion of Conscious Will” by Daniel Wegner examines whta you refered to as the ‘post facto’ perspective in depth (providing experimental data). A fascinating book!
http://humancond.org/analysis/mind/userinterface analogy
Wow! That’s exactually what i was thinking. The list is just my idea of how our actions are determined, without the involvement of the conscious mind.
Thanks.