диалог с электронным строумэном:
-how many things can a human imagine consciously, at the same time?
The exact number of things that a human can imagine consciously at the same time is difficult to determine as it can vary from person to person and depends on various factors such as the complexity of the imagined things, the individual's cognitive ability, and their level of focus and concentration.
However, research suggests that the average person's working memory capacity is limited to around 4 to 7 items at a time. This means that most people can only hold a small amount of information in their conscious mind simultaneously.
Additionally, the ability to imagine multiple things at the same time can be improved with practice and training. For example, some people who are experienced in multi-tasking may be able to imagine and juggle several thoughts or tasks at once, while others may struggle with even one complex idea.
-do you think this tells us something about the nature of consciousness?
The limitation on the number of things a human can consciously imagine at the same time is an aspect of human cognition and working memory, and it does not necessarily provide insight into the nature of consciousness itself.
Consciousness is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that encompasses various aspects of human experience, such as awareness, perception, attention, and self-reflection. It is not limited to the ability to imagine multiple things simultaneously.
However, understanding the limitations of our cognitive abilities, including our capacity to hold multiple thoughts in our working memory, can provide insight into the processes underlying conscious experience. For example, research on working memory and attention has helped us understand how we allocate our mental resources and focus our attention, which are important aspects of conscious experience.
Therefore, while the limitations of our working memory may not directly relate to the nature of consciousness, they can help us better understand the cognitive mechanisms that support conscious experience.
-does this not suggest that most work that the brain performs is separate from consciousness? if consciousness has limitation on the number of things it can contemplate, how can a human perform complex tasks like navigating in a forest, unless something else is abstracting the environment to few entities? didn't Carl Jung do some research on complexes being separate from ego?
It is true that our conscious awareness is limited in its capacity to process and attend to the vast amount of information that our brain receives at any given moment. However, this does not necessarily mean that most of the work that the brain performs is separate from consciousness.
Much of the work that the brain performs, such as processing sensory information and coordinating movement, occurs automatically and without our conscious awareness. However, these processes are still integrated with our conscious experience and can influence our thoughts, feelings, and behavior in subtle ways.
Regarding complex tasks like navigating in a forest, research has shown that our brains are capable of processing a vast amount of information at an unconscious level, such as our surroundings, the location of obstacles, and the direction of our movement. This information is then integrated with our conscious awareness to support our ability to navigate through the environment.
Regarding the research on complexes being separate from the ego, Carl Jung's concept of the "complex" refers to a group of associated thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are organized around a central theme or archetype, such as a fear of abandonment or a desire for power. Jung believed that complexes could operate independently of the conscious ego and could influence our thoughts, feelings, and behavior in powerful ways.
While Jung's theory of complexes is still debated in contemporary psychology, it is an example of how certain mental processes can operate outside of our conscious awareness and influence our conscious experience. However, it is important to note that consciousness and unconscious mental processes are not entirely separate entities but rather exist on a continuum, with varying levels of awareness and accessibility.