Does consciousness cause thoughts?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
2 replies · 2K views
wittgenstein
Messages
222
Reaction score
7
Does consciousness cause thoughts?
This question is central to the debate concerning free will.
1. Effect ( by definition) cannot precede cause.
2. It is impossible to be conscious of a thought before you think it.
3. Therefore, it is impossible for consciousness to cause thoughts.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
you can think when you are subconscious, so I say no.

But at the same time, questions like this are so flaky and for me the answer usually turns out to be trivial.

Plus, being conscious of something is different from the definition of consciousness isn't it?