What is the biological basis of consciousness?

For centuries, the debate about the nature of consciousness is seen as an exclusive domain of philosophers. However, on the average, the appearance of more and more titles related to this topic shows the fact that scientists have been participating in the game.

So is it really the question of the nature of consciousness that has been transferred from a philosopher to a scientist to look for a complete answer by empirical studies? The answer, regardless of access in any aspect, is dependent on the person being asked. However, for these difficult to swallow classical questions, the scientists' work only seems to be gathering and reclassifying the data. Because so far, reliable data sources are still very scattered.

The French philosopher of the 17th century René Descartes It can be said that René Descartes, the mid-17th-century French philosopher, was the most influential person in the consciousness of consciousness. Descartes argued that the body and consciousness were formed from completely different materials, also according to Descartes, because the human body exists in two-dimensional space, time and time, while the mind does not have afternoon time.

But recent descriptions of consciousness stand on the scientific point of view almost completely reject Descartes's point of view; Scientists think that body and soul are different concepts of the same subject. In the new view, the main consciousness is the characteristics and organization of neurons in the brain. But how does this happen? Just like why scientists accept to change their views and divert research into consciousness, a field of study cannot be observed and measured as classical studies, but for a long time researchers entrenched?

This may stem from the fact that some scientists observed experimentally on some patients with neurological diseases that these patients had very strong changes in consciousness. And also from these experimental observations, many views on consciousness gradually change and uncover new insights. For example, it has been found that for some patients with loss of consciousness, the cause may be due to some structures where the brain stem area is damaged, making it easier for patients to fall into a coma or to live life. plants. In addition, it has been suggested that although areas in the brainstem area may be the main responsibility for consciousness, it does not appear to be the only area with this role. It also means that different consciousnesses come from different areas of the brain.

Many other evidence suggests that when some areas responsible for vision are located on the damaged cerebral area, the patient will reduce the ability to observe and recognize things. A typical example of this is a female patient named DF who cannot recognize the shape or determine the spatial direction of the narrow groove on a horizontal plate. However, when she asked her to put small cards in these small slots, she did it very easily. So what's left of the stirring is that, she must know the direction of the space of the small groove so she can put the card in the right direction, but it seems that she doesn't know what she knows.

Different consciousnesses originating from different areas of the brain (Photo: splweb) Taking a step forward, rather than passively observing on patients with brain pathology, the researchers designed the experiments. It is very intelligent from there to help observe and analyze knowledge of consciousness or unconsciousness. And to be able to fully implement the experiments, researchers need to have volunteers (actually they are hired). From the research results, scientists hope to be able to answer questions about what activities in the brain are needed to create consciousness? . In addition to using volunteers, researchers also use primates (like monkeys) to conduct experiments, especially cases of consciousness collected through observation.

An experiment often conducted with monkeys is to create an optical illusion that means the same object but each time the different observation is a different form (the Necker cube is a famous example) . By training the monkeys to observe and identify exactly what they observed on the Necker cube, then the researchers detected which neurones produced this identity. From the detection of nerve fibers will help scientists discover which nervous system is involved in creating consciousness from observation. Since then, it helps explain how humans can form what is known as an observational experience when looking at an object, for example when a rose is seen, the photon will hit the retina, then re-direct it to the brain and from there The brain will identify, analyze and identify it as a rose, not a broom.

Although there are many successes, experiments in this direction really only help to understand a very small part of the process of formation and development of consciousness and therefore almost impossible to solve the most common problem of Italy. human consciousness: self-consciousness (ego each). Anyway, now many experimental studies have begun, and so if the research results cannot provide clues to help answer the consciousness that comes from where the nerve plexus is, then perhaps the researchers Best research should reset the research direction to find the answer.

Moreover, the ambition of scientists not only wants to understand the biological basis of consciousness but they also want to know why consciousness exists . It is also a research approach to other consciousness that many scientists want to find answers. Which selection pressure makes consciousness grow and how many of our brothers have these pressures? Many researchers assume that humans are not the only species with consciousness, but the study of consciousness in species depends on the notion of consciousness in species compared to the concept of human consciousness. Going further, it is believed that it is possible to rely on biological markers to look for answers on how consciousness develops at the beginning of life. What a remarkable ambition.

Although there are still many issues awaiting researchers ahead, it is fortunate that there are many young scientists involved in the race to find the answer: the source of consciousness. This makes aging scientists believe that the question will soon be answered.