This is all very interesting but I still don't understand how you "take credit" for the thought process. Your description sounds to me like machinery, very deterministic. "The brain does this, then the logic gate does that, etc". How is it that you claim to be in full control of this process (ie free will) and not come to the conclusion that this entire process is dictated 100% by neuronal structure?
You still haven't explained to my satisfaction "how" you deliberately create a thought. Do you say to yourself "OK brain, create a thought about ice cream."? And if you do this, did you first have to say to yourself "OK brain, create a thought about thinking a thought about ice cream."?? And before this can happen, surely you have to say to yourself "OK brain, I want you to create a thought about thinking a thought about thinking a thought about ice cream."???
If that isn't the process, what is? Where does the ice cream thought come from? How do you initiate it?
You describe below the unconscious part of the process, but where is your description of the conscious part of the process?
Or is it possible that thoughts just appear in our awareness spontaneously? Is a thought similar in nature to an event procedure, created when something in the environment (internal or external, including another thought) triggers a response?
Cameron Reilly
email: cameron@reilly.net
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-extropians@extropy.com [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.com]On
Behalf Of Clint O'Dell
Sent: Monday, August 30, 1999 8:40 AM
To: extropians@extropy.com
Subject: Creating a thought
Clint wrote:
>Thoughts are both conscious and unconscious processes. Because the brain
is
always matching memory patterns, and since memory is distributed throughout
the brain, and one part of it being echoic memory (where thoughts are
comprehended as language) then obviously you can't have complete control
there. Thoughts will just pop in your head as parts of memory are read and
distributed.
(snip...)