Mindmelding, Chapter 9: Sharing conscious states

In Mindmelding: Consciousness, Neuroscience, and the Mind's Privacy. New York: Oxford University Press (2012)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

This chapter explains how mindmelding — the direct experience by one person of another's conscious states — is in fact possible. The temporal lobes causally interact with the prefrontal lobes by way of fiber bundles that run underneath the cortical surface. This provides the perfect first experiment in mindmelding: to ‘branch’ those fiber bundles and run the other end into the brain of another person. Evidence is provided that these bundles have close connections to consciousness, in that whatever affects them has immediate effects on consciousness. Then, before responding to several objections, the chapter considers another issue brought up by these experiments — the question of the relation between mindmelding and mindreading. Is mindmelding similar to mindreading? Does the existence of a mindreading system help us achieve mindmelding?

Author's Profile

Analytics

Added to PP
2022-09-24

Downloads
230 (#79,455)

6 months
62 (#83,310)

Historical graph of downloads since first upload
This graph includes both downloads from PhilArchive and clicks on external links on PhilPapers.
How can I increase my downloads?