Where is consciousness located?
1 Answer
Not in anyone spot in the brain - seems to arise from many neuronal networks in the brain firing at the same time.
Explanation:
Consciousness is only beginning to get some serious scientific study - in the past 15 years or so. Prior to this, researchers could not even get grant money to study this as it was seen to be too intangible.
There are several theories being tested now on the origins of consciousness (do a Socratic search on this topic for earlier answers). A few things that are known:
consciousness needs a well functioning organic brain to host it - can't exists floating outside of you.
consciousness probably exists in other animals besides humans, in a different form.
consciousness is an emergent phenomena - much like how when you put Hydrogen and Oxygen together at room temperature you get liquid water that feels "wet". Wetness is an emergent property of putting H and O together.
consciousness probably involves many different neural pathways in the brain that all must be working properly for consciousness to arise.
* there are a number of altered states of consciousness including comas, hypnosis, meditative states, hallucinatory states that science is only beginning to understand.
