Mollerade

I’d like to approach the study of memory and consciousness, what it is and how it comes about by breaking the brain down into its mechanical parts. I hope this study will lead to new avenues to education, human therapy and artificial intelligence. It is my theory that consciousness is a series of conclusions made from the connections of memories, experienced through our senses. It is a complicated process, but can be broken down into areas of focus. This theory makes a number of assumptions, which will need to be proved scientifically.

The Process
Our brain allows us to learn from our environment by absorbing memories (data) through our five senses (taste, smell, touch, sight and hearing). The brain allows this data to be processed by connecting up related senses and making conclusions. For example, a baby boy sees a red ball which he likes the smell of. A connection is made from two senses; red ball smells good is the conclusion. The brain from birth has a naturally build in system to make these conclusions, which like a muscle can be consciously controlled. This ability to control conclusions does not begin later in life, it is “hardwired into the “brain” pre-birth, it is only later in life that some of us find ways to control it, or are taught how to.
Secondary and further exponential conclusions begin to build up relationships between all the data gathered and processed. This is why early conclusions made up in infancy will affect the consciousness of the individual in adult life. Although conclusions can be reassessed, the more mature the conclusion, the harder it is to break and re-wire. There are a number of reasons why this is the case, including the number of connections which link to the conclusion and the chemical mechanism the brain uses to record memories.
Memory or data is recorded in the brain as a series of chemical stains. To illustrate this, imagine your brain like a sponge which absorbs paint (paint being memories in this metaphor). Staining the sponge with blue paint is the equivalent of storing a memory. Now we re-write over that memory with a new memory, using red paint. Now that new memory is re-enforced by concentrating on the memory, washing the sponge in more and more red paint. Eventually the sponge is so soaked in red paint that the blue paint, the first memory has been washed out, and there by any connections made using the blue paint memory are broken.
As previously stated the blue and red paint are memories. New memories can be stored over existing memories. Memories used frequently are difficult to delete, but not impossible. Consciousness is a result of all these memories being associated with each other from conclusions made when first processing the data arriving from the five senses. That is why it is so important not to jump to conclusions. Your brain is capable of making conclusions but that doesn’t mean those conclusions are correct.
By using the example of the red ball that smells good again we can begin to understand how our consciousness comes into play. The baby begins by believing all red balls will smell good. Proving the baby wrong, by giving it the same red ball sprayed with a bad smell will develop its understanding/consciousness that not all red balls smell good. For a time the original memory remains (red ball smells good), but so does the new memory (red ball smells bad). This is a dual conclusion. At this point the understanding could go either way. If you re-enforce the good smell with ever re-enforcing the bad smell, the baby’s memory may eventually re-use the space occupied to record the bad smell and replace it with another memory entirely. If both are re-enforced with multiple examples, the baby will learn, that it has no way of telling if a red ball smells good or bad without smelling it first, this knowledge can then be applied to anything the baby, boy or man sees from then on. Consciously the baby, boy or man is aware that sight and smell are separate things only through these learned connections.

Diagram 1

Note: I have limited the number of distinguishable measurements available from the data inputs (senses) to aid simplicity in the diagram.

Possible Data Input (Senses)

Audio: Pitch, Strength
Vision: Shape, Colour, Texture
Smell: Good, Bad (note I’ve simplified the distinguishable smells for simplicity).
Touch: Texture
Taste: Sweet, Bitter

Using the red ball example:

Red Ball 1

Data input stored by seeing touching and smelling the red ball;
Vision = Colour (Red)
Shape = Round & Smooth
Touch = Smooth
Smell = Good

First Connection = Red, Round, Smooth, Good.
This connection is the individual memories grouped together due to the proximity of time and association within the context they were collected.

First (Summarized) Conclusion = Red Ball smells Good
Many conclusions will be made from the first connection, I’m summarizing those in reference to the example.

Second Connection = Red , Round, Smooth, Bad
Second (Summarized) Conclusion = Red Ball smells bad

Note: Two conclusions or more can exist at the same time with equal weight. Weight = Number of times the same conclusion is made.

Latest follow on Conclusion (based on multiple conclusions using the similar connections)

Red Ball = Good or Bad

As you can see from Diagram 1, using this technique to gather and sort data, you can begin to build up incredibly sophisticated conclusions. Note: I realise this diagram isn’t explained well, so I shall be working on improving it in the near future.

Don’t forget the mechanism itself

We can see from the process above how the brain works, records memories, makes connections and conclusions, and how by amassing a large matrix of conclusions its possible to have a greater degree of consciousness, but consciousness itself is a simply a conclusion made from connections of memories. What we must not forget is that this whole process is dependent on the mechanical structure of the brain, and each structure is unique. Not brain is exactly the same, but the processes will be very similar if not exact copies of each other. The structure of the brain as its built will have an effect on the execution of the process. Therefore all conscious beings will have different characters, even if you reproduce the same memories and connections. Blood flow, and other physical differences, as well as diet and environmental factors will all contribute to the number of conclusions made.

The Ramifications

I’ve used very simple examples of consciousness but we can expand on these to apply to many of the problems in society today. For example; you believe that if you earn more money you will be happier. Why? Because at some stage in the past you were taught that there is a connection between money and happiness. This connection is re-enforced through the media, and advertisements. Your brain has been inundated by this connection, and yet, if you ask lottery winners if they are happier after their lottery win than before, research will show you that after an initial high lasting a few months, their level of happiness returned to the same as it was before they won. Why? As I stated before your brain is capable of making conclusions but that doesn’t mean those conclusions are correct, or I should say important.
Using this process of consciousness we can examine what connections and conclusions lead to emotional states. Before long we are left with the reality that nothing you touch, smell, see, hear or taste will make you happy on its own. No product, sunset, painting, poetry chocolate, music or anything else will make you happy by itself. All emotional states are dependent on what connections and conclusions have been made in the past. Its possible to have one person who is brought to tears by a poem and another who falls asleep.

What about negative states of mind?

A balanced understanding of the conclusions your brain has made, knowing to tell which conclusions are important and which conclusions are not, and a profound understanding that to be happy now, you must live in the present, as its only in the present you can control the conclusions being made from the connections of memories you already have.
How can we know if the conclusions we have made are important? Well that’s the main problem, it is very hard. However perhaps there exist some tools to help us. One tool is to keep our mind open. When presented with a conclusion which confirms other conclusions remain a little bit skeptical, play the devils advocate a little, try to say, what if this is wrong, what if this conclusion isn’t right what does that mean. Investigate the positive and negative aspects of any conclusions. This way it will become easier to make important connections. All those inconsequential connections you fill your mind with all day should be forgotten, they are not important.