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Modern Intellectuals
Denying Consciousness
Dear Editor,
Re: "What is this thing called 'I'" -- book review by Douglas R. Hofstadter
-- May 16 -- Globe and Mail ( Books)
Douglas R. Hofstadter (head of the Cognitive Science Centre at Indiana University),
in his review of "The User Illusion," agrees with author Tor Norretranders's
main thesis: "consciousness is in essence a hoax, an illusion...."
Well, if consciousness is an "illusion" then what did the author use --
if not his own consciousness -- to arrive at that conclusion? Any attempt to invalidate
consciousness by means of consciousness is self-defeating. Anyone who claims that
consciousness is an illusion has no logical right to claim anything, let alone write
a book for other conscious beings to read.
Furthermore, the concept "illusion" logically presupposes the existence
of a conceptual consciousness capable of differentiating impressions/ideas that correspond
to reality from ones that don't. For example, we can explain the illusion of a stick
bending when placed in water because -- thanks to the rigorous thinking and experimentation
of scientists -- we now consciously understand the physics involved.
What these "intellectuals" desire is to have their cake and eat it too.
They are guilty of what Ayn Rand called "concept stealing" -- using concepts
while denying that which they logically depend on -- a practice rampant among modern
intellectuals. Such "stealing" allows them to utter virtually whatever
they wish (without the need to adhere to reality and logic) -- whatever furthers
their ideological/political agenda.
And if you know that their ideas/policies are wrong, they'll remind you that your
consciousness is an illusion.
Sincerely,
Glenn Woiceshyn
© 1998 Glenn Woiceshyn.
All rights reserved. This article can be found on-line at at http://www.capitalism.org/glennw. |
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