preview

The Conscious Mind Analysis

Decent Essays

Throughout the opening examples presented in Miller's essay, the conscious mind is typically observed inadvertently, usually as a byproduct of attempting socioeconomic and political gains and typically through some form of pseudoscience as its medium. However, as the essay progresses—and the time frame the examples take place within advances—the conscious mind begins to be observed both intentionally and in ways more closely resembling the principles of modern science. For instance, Braid's investigations of hypnotic phenomena failed to thoroughly recognize the role of consciousness in the results of his experimentation. Rather, the concept of such a role, “the condition of the patient's nervous system,” (14), in the causing of the hypnotic …show more content…

However, as the article, and time frame the article occurs in, progresses, the indirect observation of the conscious mind becomes more deliberate. It becomes the aim of the research rather than a secondary result. For instance, the work of Weiskrantz and Bisiach indicates an intentional and deliberate studying of consciousness, through scientific processes involving “blindsight,” (31-32) and “inattentive,” vision (33), respectively. The correct responses in the studies yielded by individuals who have been rendered incapable of consciously correctly answering the questions provides solid, scientific evidence of unconscious processes that enabled their behavior, and also indicates a shift in the article toward a more objective take on the scientific method. However, the work indicates not only an evolution and advancement of the scientific discoveries highlighted—that is, the discussion of consciousness—but also an evolution of the scientific process itself away from the antiquated practices of pseudoscience that the piece highlights near its start, and toward the scientific method as it is known …show more content…

Mesmer's work was severely clouded by his subjective beliefs, which make his studies more of exercises in self indulgence than scientific process. Much of the same can be observed for the works of Elliotson, Baron Dupotet and Braid, as they also succumbed to desire for personal gain from their work—building and maintaining popular private practices despite their scientific faults, with Elliotson specifically being described as enjoying “a prosperous professional life with a wide circle of admiring and affectionate friends,” (12). It should be noted, though, that their respective work did contribute as portions of a base for future scientists to work from. Their successors, the likes of Carpenter, Laycock and Hall, were able to find pieces of the work that could be investigated—such as the state of individuals while experiencing a trance—and develop those aspects into more scientific queries. Thus the evolution of the study of consciousness can be observed in the essay. The development over time of theories of consciousness is similar to the development of theoretically accepted models of the atom. From Dalton's “Billiard Ball” model, to Rutherford's nucleus as a result of his gold foil experiments, to Schrödinger's electron cloud model and beyond, several different scientists built upon each others' work to develop the models used and accepted

Get Access