X-Message-Number: 7969
From: 
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 97 23:55:29 +1000
Subject: self-circuit

From my own self-analysis over a number of years, I can easily
accept the existence of a "self-circuit" somewhere in the brain.
The alternative view, distributed consciousness/awareness, only
occasionally gains ascendency in my mind (but temporarily). Many
regions of the brain have been strongly associated with various
functions and parts of the body, so why not also for the self?

So, where then is this self-circuit?  Are we talking perhaps of
the amygdala or medulla regions, or the cerebral cortex?  
Locating the self-circuit would seem (imho) to be of practical
advantage to the science of cryonics.  Since cooling rate is of
critical importance, and because larger organs such as the brain
are more difficult to cool, then by focussing the cryonic 
efforts to vital (smaller) regions of the brain, such as
the self-circuit, would thereby enhance the quality of a 
successful revival.  (And repair, regrowth or emulation of less
critical regions, say olfactory lobes, presumably would be far 
easier to accomplish or could be deferred).
Most probably, the study and modelling of the self-circuit would
also have benefits for those interested in psychiatry, uploading,
and for engineers/creators of robots & automatons.

My feeling is that the self-circuit may have originated as the
home of the survival instinct, taking input from all senses
to produce a fight/flight response.  Those creatures with more
successful (complex) self-circuits would (over evolutionary
periods) survive and become more prevalent.  Thus I can 
empathise with Robert Ettinger's suggestion that it may be:
 > (perhaps a more primitive part of the brain) containing the 
 > "self circuit" or the anatomical/physiological feature that
 > constitutes the seat of feeling and hence the ground of being)

A more primitive part of the brain, yes, but well connected to 
all the senses.  I then see it as a relatively short step for a
sophisticated survival instinct to then demonstrate feelings,
emotions, and consciousness.  The "self" emerges.
Excuse my personal introspections but haven't we all occasionally,
had those deep, perhaps ominous, (and most probably inexplicable) 
feelings about something?  Surely a strong connection with the 
survival instinct?

Does anyone else have any observations (perhaps even through 
introspection) about the self-circuit?  And where it might be
located?  And considerations for cryonicists?

--Graham--

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