We’re not looking for objective experience, thus we’re simply looking for experience. If we now define ‘a sense of one’s own existence’ as the experience of self-awareness, i.e. consciousness, and if we also regard unconscious experience as unworthy, we’re left with consciousness.
Now since we can not define consciousness, we need a working definition. What are some important aspects of consciousness? ‘Thinking’, which requires ‘knowledge’ (data), is not the operative point between being an iPhone and being human. It’s information processing after all. So what do we mean by unconscious, opposed to consciousness decision making? It’s about deliberate, purposeful (goal-oriented) adaption. Thus to be consciousness is to be able to shape your environment in a way that it suits your volition.
The ability to define a system within the environment in which it is embedded to be yourself.
To be goal-oriented
The specific effectiveness and order of transformation by which the self-defined system (you) shapes the outside environment, in which it is embedded, does trump the environmental influence on the defined system. (more)
How could this help with the frog-dilemma? Are frogs consciousness?
Are there signs of active environmental adaption by the frog-society as indicated by behavioral variability?
To what extent is frog behavior predictable?
That is, we have to fathom the extent of active adaption of the environment by frogs opposed to passive adaption of frogs by the the environment. Further, one needs to test the frogs ability of deliberate, spontaneous behavior given environmental (experimental) stimuli and see if frogs can evade, i.e. action vs reaction.
P.S.
No attempt at a solution, just some quick thoughts I wanted to write down for clearance and possible feedback.
We’re not looking for objective experience, thus we’re simply looking for experience. If we now define ‘a sense of one’s own existence’ as the experience of self-awareness, i.e. consciousness, and if we also regard unconscious experience as unworthy, we’re left with consciousness.
Now since we can not define consciousness, we need a working definition. What are some important aspects of consciousness? ‘Thinking’, which requires ‘knowledge’ (data), is not the operative point between being an iPhone and being human. It’s information processing after all. So what do we mean by unconscious, opposed to consciousness decision making? It’s about deliberate, purposeful (goal-oriented) adaption. Thus to be consciousness is to be able to shape your environment in a way that it suits your volition.
The ability to define a system within the environment in which it is embedded to be yourself.
To be goal-oriented
The specific effectiveness and order of transformation by which the self-defined system (you) shapes the outside environment, in which it is embedded, does trump the environmental influence on the defined system. (more)
How could this help with the frog-dilemma? Are frogs consciousness?
Are there signs of active environmental adaption by the frog-society as indicated by behavioral variability?
To what extent is frog behavior predictable?
That is, we have to fathom the extent of active adaption of the environment by frogs opposed to passive adaption of frogs by the the environment. Further, one needs to test the frogs ability of deliberate, spontaneous behavior given environmental (experimental) stimuli and see if frogs can evade, i.e. action vs reaction.
P.S. No attempt at a solution, just some quick thoughts I wanted to write down for clearance and possible feedback.