whom the work is new. Presumably, a high-level reading of the Crab's brain
state would reveal the potential thrill (and conditions which would induce
it), as well as the potential numbness (and conditions which would induce
it). The brain state itself would not tell which one would occur on the next
hearing of the piece, however; it could only say, "If such-&-such conditions
obtain, then a thrill will result; otherwise ... "
Thus a chunked description of a brain state would give a catalogue of
beliefs which would be evoked conditionally, dependent on circumstances.
Since not all possible circumstances can be enumerated, one would have to
settle for those which one thinks are "reasonable". Furthermore, one would
have to settle for a chunked description of the circumstances themselves,
since they obviously cannot-and should not-be specified down to the
atomic level! Therefore, one will not be able to make an exact, deterministic
prediction saying which beliefs will be pulled out of the brain state by a
given chunked circumstance. In summary, then, a chunked description of a
brain state will consist of a probabili~tic catalogue, in which are listed those
beliefs which are most likely to be induced (and those symbols which are
most likely to be activated) by various sets of "reasonably likely" cir-
cumstances, themselves described on a chunked level. Trying to chunk
someone's beliefs without referring to context is precisely as silly as trying
to describe the range of a single person's "potential progeny" without
referring to the mate.
The same sorts of problems arise in enumerating all the symbols in a
given person's brain. There are potentially not only an infinite number of
pathways in a brain, but also an infinite number of symbols. As was pointed
out, new concepts can always be formed from old ones, and one could
argue that the symbols which represent such new concepts are merely
dormant symbols in each individual, waiting to be awakened. They may
never get awakened in the person's lifetime, but it could be claimed that
those symbols are nonetheless always there, just waiting for the right
circumstances to trigger their synthesis. However, if the probability is very
low, it would seem that "dormant" would be a very unrealistic term to apply
in the situation. To make this clear, try to imagine all the "dormant
dreams" which are sitting there inside your skull while you're awake. Is it
conceivable that there exists a decision procedure which could tell "poten-
tially dreamable themes" from "undreamable themes", given your brain
state?
Where Is the Sense of Self?Looking back on what we have discussed, you might think to yourself,
"These speculations about brain and mind are all well and good, but what
about the feelings involved in consciousness? These symbols may trigger
each other all they want, but unless someone perceives the whole thing,
there's no consciousness."
This makes sense to our intuition on some level, but it does not make
much sense logically. For we would then be compelled to look for an(^384) Minds and Thoughts