664
problem of consciousness, links the data and sensory centers of the mind and the
brain to the Others. One might dispute the evidence, or perceive it through the lens
of confirmation bias, but—granting every pragmatic idealism and precautionary
principle, versus a wild west of unchecked speculative fictions—there can be little
to be gained by outright denial of the ecological cybernetics and modes of feedback
that, at least, seem to define the world and its representations in mind, resulting
from, or implicated by that mind. An appreciable quantum of this approach to consciousness in Others was undertaken by Maurice Maeterlinck in his masterpiece,
Hours of Gladness, particularly in the lengthy chapter, “The Intelligence of
Flowers.”
7
Therein explodes upon the topology of contemplative organisms the most perplexing and toxic of quandaries: The presence of some form of human consciousness directly responsible for exposing subjects beyond itself to itself. That exposure
is nothing like a truth value of interdependency, or an innate disposition toward a
loving biophilia. Rather, it inculcates into the life force itself the fullest range of
exogenous inputs leading to targets of our impact, anti-amelioration, subjugation,
partial then total impact, and eventually an extinction event, and with it, memory
within which is exhibited the cessation of all possible dialogue. It is the antonym of
all consciousness. The thinking person’s worst paradox, but the liberation of all
other thought processes that have never relied on human consciousness for anything.
72.3 A Biological Pilgrim’s Progress
The tired rhetoric, the unending near paralysis of the thinker is theoretically circumvented, at least, by such “hours,” whose times come seasonally, as first sensationally
depicted in the Medieval devotional horae genre.
8
No need of some unendurable
algebra to corroborate the essence of a flower as it manifests in mind. Sufficiency
that surpasseth unconsciousness and leads past pain toward the pleasure and solace
of a garden. Pain and pleasure take evolutionary notes, accommodating one of the
other by experiential versions of one species adjoining another. Combinations tested
over time frames that seem to indicate no other priorities than the very gifts of life
herself, as iterated in the underlying critical mass of biodiversity.
7 See Joseph Levine, “Conceivability, Identity, and the Explanatory Gap” in Stuart R. Hameroff,
Alfred W. Kaszniak, and David Chalmers (eds.), Towards a Science of Consciousness III: The
Third Tucson Discussions and Debates, The MIT Press, 1999, pp. 3–12; see also, Chalmers, David
(January 1997). “Moving forward on the problem of consciousness.” Journal of Consciousness
Studies. 4(1): 3–46. This concept of “variance” is as protean as New York Governor Andrew
Cuomo declaring a “mask” “the only line between anarchy and civilization,” in a press conference
on July 20, 2020.
8 See Revonsuo, A, Inner Presence: Consciousness as a biological phenomenon. Cambridge, MA:
MIT Press, 2006.
72 On the Nature of Equivalencies
problem of consciousness, links the data and sensory centers of the mind and the
brain to the Others. One might dispute the evidence, or perceive it through the lens
of confirmation bias, but—granting every pragmatic idealism and precautionary
principle, versus a wild west of unchecked speculative fictions—there can be little
to be gained by outright denial of the ecological cybernetics and modes of feedback
that, at least, seem to define the world and its representations in mind, resulting
from, or implicated by that mind. An appreciable quantum of this approach to consciousness in Others was undertaken by Maurice Maeterlinck in his masterpiece,
Hours of Gladness, particularly in the lengthy chapter, “The Intelligence of
Flowers.”
7
Therein explodes upon the topology of contemplative organisms the most perplexing and toxic of quandaries: The presence of some form of human consciousness directly responsible for exposing subjects beyond itself to itself. That exposure
is nothing like a truth value of interdependency, or an innate disposition toward a
loving biophilia. Rather, it inculcates into the life force itself the fullest range of
exogenous inputs leading to targets of our impact, anti-amelioration, subjugation,
partial then total impact, and eventually an extinction event, and with it, memory
within which is exhibited the cessation of all possible dialogue. It is the antonym of
all consciousness. The thinking person’s worst paradox, but the liberation of all
other thought processes that have never relied on human consciousness for anything.
72.3 A Biological Pilgrim’s Progress
The tired rhetoric, the unending near paralysis of the thinker is theoretically circumvented, at least, by such “hours,” whose times come seasonally, as first sensationally
depicted in the Medieval devotional horae genre.
8
No need of some unendurable
algebra to corroborate the essence of a flower as it manifests in mind. Sufficiency
that surpasseth unconsciousness and leads past pain toward the pleasure and solace
of a garden. Pain and pleasure take evolutionary notes, accommodating one of the
other by experiential versions of one species adjoining another. Combinations tested
over time frames that seem to indicate no other priorities than the very gifts of life
herself, as iterated in the underlying critical mass of biodiversity.
7 See Joseph Levine, “Conceivability, Identity, and the Explanatory Gap” in Stuart R. Hameroff,
Alfred W. Kaszniak, and David Chalmers (eds.), Towards a Science of Consciousness III: The
Third Tucson Discussions and Debates, The MIT Press, 1999, pp. 3–12; see also, Chalmers, David
(January 1997). “Moving forward on the problem of consciousness.” Journal of Consciousness
Studies. 4(1): 3–46. This concept of “variance” is as protean as New York Governor Andrew
Cuomo declaring a “mask” “the only line between anarchy and civilization,” in a press conference
on July 20, 2020.
8 See Revonsuo, A, Inner Presence: Consciousness as a biological phenomenon. Cambridge, MA:
MIT Press, 2006.
72 On the Nature of Equivalencies