The HBO show Westworld is the most advanced dialogue on consciousness I have seen on television. The whole show is about emergent AI consciousness out of advanced robotics, who themselves experience identity and a form of reincarnation due to the circumstances of the show.
One of the great things about shows like this are how multileveled they are. Westworld has action and sex for the rabble, but also has high-level dialogue in terms of consciousness and developing empathy for robotic beings. Dent if you can suspend your disbelief a bit I think you would really like what this show is doing to educate the masses on consciousness of other beings.
In episode 3 of Westworld, they mentioned a theory by a man named Julian Jaynes that has vexed me for quite a while, partner!
The idea works best as a thought experiment than it does as a plausible theory, however the evidence presented, in addition to my experience (both subjective and comparative research) make a pretty decent case. The theory is not well-known/generally accepted, however I view that as a historical lack of interest in consciousness (except for a select few philosophers and diplomats, and Asia) than a lack of plausibility.
The idea is called
Bicameralism.
Quote:
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Bicameralism (the philosophy of "two-chamberedness") is a hypothesis in psychology that argues that the human mind once assumed a state in which cognitive functions were divided between one part of the brain which appears to be "speaking", and a second part which listens and obeys—a bicameral mind. The term was coined by Julian Jaynes, who presented the idea in his 1976 book The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, wherein he made the case that a bicameral mentality was the normal and ubiquitous state of the human mind as recently as 3000 years ago.
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There is a HUGE gap in
consciousness ability between our nearest relatives (primates) and ourselves. Generally speaking, the difference lies somewhere in the neocortex, which is present in (I think) all, or at least most mammals.
We can create symphonies, split atoms, go to the moon, etc. etc. Dolphins can play some games and some apes can do sign language/use sticks for tools. This is a chasm of difference.
The idea is that the emergence of consciousness in proto-human animals ("apelike ancestors" and our hominid cousins) was initially interpreted, not as the voice of "I am", but as the voice of a GOD, as in, God suddenly announcing "I AM" in your head, which proceeds to tell you what to do based on the data the brain has access to. We interpret these as thoughts.
This sounds bizarre, but self-consciousness is something that some animals have (like us), and that some animals do not, or act in pacts or sub-individual group consciousness. So in-between, it is perfectly plausible that animals developing consciousness would not be able to understand that it was their brain (something they did not understand at all, except maybe "squishy stuff that if destroyed will make you sleep forever") generating an algorithm that comes on as a more personal thought structure of individual consciousness.
The key point of this hypothesis, if true, is that it would explain or contribute to an explanation for the worldwide phenomenon of gods and religions.
In the show Westworld, this theory is referenced in comparison to a phenomenon (a voice in the head) that androids are experiencing within the theme park. While it was just a minor mention, I felt it was worth adding here, as it might be of interest to some of you.
Westworld:
http://123movies.to/film/westworld-season-1-16796/