disproved by advancing science. New discoveries are being made which suggests that logic, or memory, are down to brain functions. Often dualists are such because of a religious influence, which is diminishing in todayÊs rational, science-driven society. There are those who think that a consciousness must exist because of mental phenomena. However, some of these can be disproven (e.g. telepathy), and some of them may soon be put down to the brain. Materialism, whilst it may be scientific, does have its flaws. Humans are extremely complex beings, and we are capable of extraordinary things, possessing capabilities such as memory, the power of association, logic irrationality. At this moment it is not possible to hold the brain accountable for everything, perhaps suggesting a non- physical consciousness. Furthermore we cannot always see things truly as they are, and it is not necessarily wise to explain abstract concepts through the powers of observation alone. Idealism is a radical point of view, claiming that the material world that we take for granted is instead an illusion. And whilst we cannot definitely disregard it as false, it has nothing of note to support its assertions. New Mysterianism is a valid concept, and the observations it makes are true, however, one may have to be content with a personal definition of the conscious mind, rather than a universal one. A Cognitive/Computational Approach is very logical, but, in my opinion, fails to grasp the sheer enormity and scale of human emotion and abilities. A different neuron would be needed for every degree of emotion that we feel, ecstatic, pleases, placated, content. Is it possible to put everything that a human feels down to the physical brain? So, can a scientific theory help us to resolve the riddle of the consciousness? I do not think so. I am of the opinion that oneÊs consciousness is entirely unique and oneÊs view of consciousness is subjective. It is impossible to realize what anotherÊs consciousness is like, even to a minute
degree, because we cannot experience exactly what they have, and our attempts to understand anotherÊs consciousness are hindered by our own. I am of the opinion that since the consciousness cannot be observed, we cannot produce a scientific theory through which we can explain the consciousness, since science is concerned with observations (it is for this reason that FreudÊs psychoanalysis may not be considered a science). And whilst it is true that oneÊs behaviour can be observed, the insight this gives into the consciousness is limited. Because humans are so diverse, and by extension, so are conscious minds, we cannot form a universal ruling which applies to every mind. I think that one should instead find a philosophy or theory of the consciousness, and justify it to themselves in whatever way they choose (e.g. use OccamÊs razor to justify materialism). Although it may be possible to form theories supported by scientific studies of the brain, this is the closest we can come to resolving the riddle of the consciousness, since it is impossible to observe oneÊs own or anotherÊs consciousness. In conclusion, I am of the opinion that a scientific theory will be unable to resolve the riddle of the consciousness because it cannot be observed. However, it may be a better alternative to the other views that I have presented here, namely dualism, materialism, idealism, New Mysterianism, and the Cognitive/Computational Approach. A scientific theory may incorporate any number of these ideas, or create an approach that is entirely different. However, I think that even if it became the universally held view on the consciousness, I donÊt see how it could truly explain consciousness, since I do not think that it could defeat the incredible complexity of life and the problem of other minds. Even if we were to disprove every conflicting philosophy of the consciousness, and confirm the truth about some of the ideas of philosophy, such as the view that the consciousness evolved as we did, I do not think it would be closer to understanding the true nature of what the consciousness is and its role.
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