LIZ ANDERSON FREE WILL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Spring 2015 Psych 141 WAKING LIFE https://vimeo.com/ INTRO Consciousness- whats going on in our heads, sense of self Free will- power to choose, control over our actions Both of these concepts are applied broadly in colloquial settings, but how do you objectively measure an innately subjective experience? Are they consistent with Evolution? DEFINITION OF CONSCIOUSNESS Are animals conscious? Different animals? Ants, octopus, apes? Look at it in degrees rather than a yes or no Self-awareness Ego Language Problem solving Social Cognition Intelligence? OPINIONS ON CONSCIOUSNESS Approaches Phenomenology vs Epistemology First person experience, qualia Reason, logic, knowledge Theory of Mind Dualism Materialism PHENOMENOLOGY VS EPISTEMOLOGY Phenomenology Subjective experience What is it like to be a bat? Nagels theory of consciousness Consciousness doesnt exist without someone to experience it Epistemology Objective knowledge EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS Removing Human exceptionalism Is consciousness tied to the developing of intelligence? If consciousness is consistent with evolution, do all things have a degree of consciousness DUALISM Two kinds of stuff Material and consciousness is something else, it is not governed by the same laws Idea of a soul, something not a part of physical world Both materialism and dualism can be looked at through phenomenology or epistemology Consistent with free will MATERIALISM Theory of self Whole is equal to sum of parts Evolution Genes and environment is everything I am, no soul, no other stuff inside Trace levels of consciousness through evolution Language, social theory, self awareness Do certain genes allow for consciousness? Is consciousness a bi-product of intelligence Consistent with determinism PUBLIC OPINION ON FREE WILL So who believes in free will? What does it mean to you? STUDIES THAT DETRACT Libet 1985 Suggests that conscious awareness of choices comes after the choice is made Details Tells participant to watch dot in a circle, push button when at a location Measure electrical activity and awareness of decision RP- readiness potentials, activation energy There is a rise in RP 200 ms before awareness of intention Conclusions Consciousness is a veto system, awareness comes after the decision is made But this is about reaction, not evaluation and choice PROBLEMS WITH LIBET Technicalities, timing Accurate test of free will? Or is it testing reactions? Consciousness is not separate from the brain, it is a part of the system. The awareness is not a complete overlord control system. REDEFINE Back to dualism and materialism If you believe in free will you would be inclined to believe in dualism, or vice versa Materialism is consistent with evolution and lack of free will To understand consciousness and free will in terms of evolutionary perspective, we must explore and maintain consistent objective definitions Implications of ego and awareness in studies DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What is the value of believing in consciousness and a sense of self? Are evolution and free will in agreement? Is there an evolutionary advantage to believe in free will? Is it a choice to believe in free will? Do certain genes allow for consciousness? Is consciousness a bi-product of intelligence? SOURCESLibet:CerebralInitiative.pdfCerebralInitiative.pdf Sammartino 2014 lectures Blackwell: https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NE GK_ZStddkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA102&dq=evolution+of+ consciousness+and+determinism&ots=QpCDi8mmB E&sig=IfjzE3YbQvTrED- V6T9vpUdsgRA#v=onepage&q=evolution%20of%20 consciousness%20and%20determinism&f=false https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NE GK_ZStddkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA102&dq=evolution+of+ consciousness+and+determinism&ots=QpCDi8mmB E&sig=IfjzE3YbQvTrED- V6T9vpUdsgRA#v=onepage&q=evolution%20of%20 consciousness%20and%20determinism&f=false