does consciousness determine brain states or do brain states determine consciousness?

Answer 1

You should read stuff by Julian Jaynes. His work was all about consciousness.

http://www.julianjaynes.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Jaynes

http://www.keithpurtell.com/kthings/body_jaynes.htm

etc. etc. etc......

Answer 2

Some would say consciousness is a by-product of brain state. So, they would say the brain state had determined the consciousness.

Many see this as a problem, as we have the problem of 'epiphenomenal qualia'. Epiphenomenal qualia are conscious sensations that are caused *by* something but do not cause anything else in return. If you believe brain state determines consciousness and not vice versa, you have to believe that conscious sensations do not have any causal effect on brain state.

This is a problem: say you put your hand in a fire, feel pain, and so move your hand away. It would seem apparent that it is the conscious feeling of pain making you do this, not the unconscious brain state. But if you want to say consciousness is merely a byproduct of brain state, you have to explain why it wasn't the pain that made you withdraw your hand, and why the pain was in this case evolutionarily necessary.

A more obvious intuition is that the conscious mental state affected the brain state, the neurons and nervous system etc, and then made your hand move. This is a problem for many who would say the brain state entirely determines the mental state and not the other way round.

Answer 3

"Hello rainee!
It's a complicated question and hard to answer because, although both subjects can be researched, there are no definitive answers about which came first, or if they're the same.

Let me answer by being a little transparent for you: During adolescence, I began to get "little time capsules" of realization about my present reality. I suddenly understood concepts never known before. The "little time capsules" continued ever 2 or 3 years. I, later, became aware of my jealously of others, sloth and covetousness. One by one, I solved many of my mental conflicts by these sudden understandings. I guess you could call them new "paradigms." I was in a moderate "state," then, along came some kind of enzymes or messenger proteins in my brain and I would suddenly "understand" more about myself and others.
Using suppositions, I can say that I had a specific brain state, then, neurotransmitters from a myriad of neurons and axions fired ... allowing me a new consciousness in a new paradigm for a few years, until I received new ones. I'm thankful that they keep coming. I sincerely hope they never stop because I'll better understand all about myself and how I fit into the mix."

Answer 4

Well, if some one smacks me real hard in the brain, I generally lose consciousness.

So I would have to say that Brain states determine consciousness.

Brain damage can determine what you can perceive. but I"m not sure how to affect the consciousness with out affecting the brain.

Answer 5

Well the brain is actually a republic not a democracy so the brains states are allowed to govern their own consciousness.

Answer 6

Both "Brain States" and "Consciousness" are rather vague terms
without further information...
In general, they are not necessarily related...

Answer 7

conciousness and brain state is tha same my dear!