A Neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of consciousness

dc.contributor.authorSolms, Mark
dc.date.accessioned2016-05-24T10:12:21Z
dc.date.available2016-05-24T10:12:21Z
dc.date.issued2014-06-02
dc.description.abstractA neuropsychoanalytical approach to the ‘hard problem’ of consciousness revolves around the distinction between the subject and objects of consciousness. In contrast to the mainstream of cognitive science, neuropsychoanalysis prioritises the subject. The subject of consciousness is the indispensable page upon which its objects are inscribed. This has implications for our conception of the mental. The subjective being of consciousness is not registered in the classical exteroceptive modalities; it is not a cognitive representation, not a memory trace. Cognitive representations are ‘mental solids,’ embedded within subjective consciousness, and their tangible and visible (etc.) properties are projected onto reality. It is important to recognise that mental solids (e.g. the body-as-object) are no more real than the subjective being they are represented in (the body-as-subject). Moreover, pure subjectivity is not without content or quality. This aspect of consciousness is conventionally described quantitatively as the level of consciousness, ‘wakefulness’. But it feels like something to be awake. The primary modality of this aspect of consciousness is affect. Some implications of this frame of reference are discussed here, in broad brush strokes. This is an electronic version of an article published as Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, Volume 13, Issue 2, 2014, pp. 173-185. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0219635214400032, © World Scientific Publishing Company, http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscinet/jin.en_ZA
dc.identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0219635214400032
dc.identifier.apacitationSolms, M. (2014). A Neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of consciousness. <i>Journal of Integrative Neuroscience</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19833en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSolms, Mark "A Neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of consciousness." <i>Journal of Integrative Neuroscience</i> (2014) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19833en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSolms, M. (2014). A Neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of conscioueness. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 13(2): 173-185. DOI:10.1142/S0219635214400032en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Solms, Mark AB - A neuropsychoanalytical approach to the ‘hard problem’ of consciousness revolves around the distinction between the subject and objects of consciousness. In contrast to the mainstream of cognitive science, neuropsychoanalysis prioritises the subject. The subject of consciousness is the indispensable page upon which its objects are inscribed. This has implications for our conception of the mental. The subjective being of consciousness is not registered in the classical exteroceptive modalities; it is not a cognitive representation, not a memory trace. Cognitive representations are ‘mental solids,’ embedded within subjective consciousness, and their tangible and visible (etc.) properties are projected onto reality. It is important to recognise that mental solids (e.g. the body-as-object) are no more real than the subjective being they are represented in (the body-as-subject). Moreover, pure subjectivity is not without content or quality. This aspect of consciousness is conventionally described quantitatively as the level of consciousness, ‘wakefulness’. But it feels like something to be awake. The primary modality of this aspect of consciousness is affect. Some implications of this frame of reference are discussed here, in broad brush strokes. This is an electronic version of an article published as Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, Volume 13, Issue 2, 2014, pp. 173-185. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0219635214400032, © World Scientific Publishing Company, http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscinet/jin. DA - 2014-06-02 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Journal of Integrative Neuroscience KW - Neuropsychoanalysis KW - hard problem KW - consciousness KW - subjectivity KW - prediction error KW - Freud LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2014 T1 - A Neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of consciousness TI - A Neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of consciousness UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19833 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/19833
dc.identifier.urihttp://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0219635214400032
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSolms M. A Neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of consciousness. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience. 2014; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19833.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherWorld Scientific Publishingen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceJournal of Integrative Neuroscienceen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.worldscientific.com/worldscinet/jin
dc.subjectNeuropsychoanalysis
dc.subjecthard problem
dc.subjectconsciousness
dc.subjectsubjectivity
dc.subjectprediction error
dc.subjectFreud
dc.titleA Neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of consciousnessen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.filetypeInteractive Resource
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourcePost-printen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Solms_Consciousness_2015_.pdf
Size:
351.57 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.72 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Collections