X-Message-Number: 25204 Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 06:06:03 -0800 Subject: More on the QE, to Scott From: <> Dear Scott: "Perhaps I'm mistaken but I brought up the point because I thought you had asserted that the QE resides in a localized area of the brain." I don't imagine you can cut the QE out, or that there is only one possible QE 'circuit'. When I say the QE is a subset of the brain, I mean simply I can lose chunks to my brain and still experience, even if, say, the scope of those experiences is reduced. But if I lost too many chunks, or chunks in the wrong places, I would be unable to experience anything. A recent study should prove most illuminating to you(http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-12/nu- fsh120104.php). Apparently, ADDLs (a key component of Alzheimer's disease) bind specifically to synapses involved in memory. This is why an AD person can progressively lose their memories, and yet still be capable of experiencing. I suspect future research will further elucidate the relationship between the brain and experience. For now, I would just say, clearly not all brain activity correlates with subjective experience, and clearly not all of the brain is required for some subjective experience, which justifies my claim that the QE is a subset of the brain. This is not required for my arguments against patternism, I primarily use it to show others that there is some hope for cryonics, even though it does damage the brain. [snip] You wrote: "Second, why do you say that qualia are not experienced during sleep? I certainly have subjective experiences in my dreams like seeing colors, feeling emotions, etc." Well, I was just referring to slow-wave (delta) sleep, in which you are not dreaming, but unconscious. [snip] Best Regards, Richard B. R. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=25204