Crazier than ever

摘要

Whatever happened to that reliable scientific theory of consciousness we've been waiting for? We badly need one, not only to make sense of schizophrenia, anorexia and personality disorders, but suicide bombers and war. Conventional approaches are deeply frustrating. To see why, try the Bathwater Challenge. Kneel beside a half-filled bath, put in your hand, wait for glassy calm, then wrench it out. Repeat, until you're convinced the resulting wave pattern is too complex for verbal description. Agreed? Well, consciousness is even more difficult to pin down than turbulence in a bath. Analyse the brain chemistry as much as you like, but it's the ever-changing patterns, not the chemicals, that make all the difference.