Hi Students - so sorry I did not make it as many Grade X 12 students
turned up in Room 9 for help with their final TOK presentations and
essays. I could not say no to them. They were eager for advice and I did
not finish with them until 6pm. So sorry as I wanted to enjoy the
experience of the lecture with you all. Please post here and let me know
if it was good. Thanks.
The lecture was truly entertaining and informative. We did take a picture too, which i will send you soon :)
ReplyDeletereally interesting talk. check this out guys!
ReplyDeletehttp://sfscience.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/colour-changing-card-trick/
What I gathered from the talk was that there is a remarkable difference between awareness and consciousness. One can be aware of their surroundings and carry out their routines, but at the same time, still not be conscious about their actions.
ReplyDeleteFrom the video, one can infer that if we are not conscious of such lucid details, how are we to trust our conscious to paint an ideal picture of the world and its happenings?
During the course of the lecture, Dr. Blackmore showed us a series of other such illusions which made us doubt our credence in our conscious. At the end, we were made to ask ourselves; Is our conscious nothing but a mere illusion?
The remarkable part about it was that at the beginning of the talk, when Dr. Blackmore questioned the audience about how many of us were 'conscious'? Almost everybody claimed that they were conscious all the time. However, after the hour long informative talk, when she posed the same question towards the end, say only 10% of the audience could confidently raise their hands, indicating that Dr. Blackmore indubitably changed the way we thought. An hour well spent!
ReplyDeleteDr. Blackmoore had the remarkable skill of adressing a rather unique crowd; the crowd, on one hand consisted of neuroscientists and on the other, consisted of the average public who had strictly limited knowledge on the functioning of the brain. She managed to integrate aspects that would interest both groups. Moreover, she was a very powerful public speaker. The knowledge that we gained was tremendous.
ReplyDeleteIt has given me a new perspective towards viewing consciousness. Perhaps it really is an illusion.
I also found her approach to the issue very interesting. She did not claim to be correct. Instead she provided us with a series of viewpoints on the "mystery". Then, she finally revealed her conclusion from the same. It seemed similar to the TOK approach of claims and counterclaims.
It was a very good experience.