Question about sleep and consciousness

[atjta]

OK, if you=consciousness and consciousness=awareness does it mean you die when you sleep since you're not aware? And when you wake up it isn't you because it's a new awareness?
Also since there are tiny temporal gaps between when you receive brain waves does it mean that you die many times in your day to day life too?

 

[Calrid]

OK, if you=consciousness and consciousness=awareness does it mean you die when you sleep since you're not aware? And when you wake up it isn't you because it's a new awareness?
Also since there are tiny temporal gaps between when you receive brain waves does it mean that you die many times in your day to day life too?

That's a philosophy question.

I exist independently from my consciousness though so I'd say no when I sleep I do not die, firstly my autonomic system keeps me alive and secondly my snoring keeps others awake.

"If I am not looking at the moon does it still exist?"

 

[Vagn]

OK, if you=consciousness and consciousness=awareness does it mean you die when you sleep since you're not aware? And when you wake up it isn't you because it's a new awareness?
Also since there are tiny temporal gaps between when you receive brain waves does it mean that you die many times in your day to day life too?

Not really the right forum section for this, but no. Brain death is not the same as falling asleep, when you are asleep you could be considered 'unconscious' however there are still parts of the brain that are active, for example the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomic_nervous_system" is still active whilst you are asleep, whilst it isn't when you are dead.

 

[khemist]

There is quite a difference between death and lack of consciousness.

Think about what you are saying for a second. Death is defined as: "the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism" by http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/death

And what do you mean "tiny temporal gaps between when you receive brain waves"?

 

[Vagn]

And what do you mean "tiny temporal gaps between when you receive brain waves"?

I'd guess s/he means that impulses are not instantaneous?

 

[JaredJames]

Really? In general physics? This is philosophy at best.

This is down to an argument of semantics about how you define different states. If you look in philosophy, this debate has come up a few times but never gets anywhere.

 

[atjta]

So do you think you are still you when you wake up and not someone else?
Or is it pretty much a different "self" that wakes up from the one that goes to sleep?

 

[Calrid]

So do you think you are still you when you wake up and not someone else?
Or is it pretty much a different "self" that wakes up from the one that goes to sleep?

No I think I am still me till the day I actually die. It's hard to see a case where that isn't so because I have experience and memory conscious or not. Probably best to say there is not point where I am in fact not conscious as such, as there is no real centre of consciousness in the brain, the only indication we are asleep is the level of transmission between brain areas and the signal strength and type. I am still aware when asleep otherwise alarm clocks wouldn't work. I can even carry out conversations and interact with people while asleep although I may need to seek help if it becomes a problem.

 

[JaredJames]

So do you think you are still you when you wake up and not someone else?
Or is it pretty much a different "self" that wakes up from the one that goes to sleep?

What?

When I wake up everything is identical to when I go to sleep. I'm still me. Why is there any reason to believe it is someone else?

What evidence is there to support this idea? Perhaps a citation? A link to a mainstream article on it? Anything?

 

[Calrid]

Really? In general physics? This is philosophy at best.

This is down to an argument of semantics about how you define different states. If you look in philosophy, this debate has come up a few times but never gets anywhere.

It's not meant to that's why it's called philosophy. If it got somewhere it would be science.

Not that I mean philosophers don't come to conclusions though, just that in this area they tend to be called science.

 

[atjta]

Does your conscious mind actually "turn off" when you sleep or does it simply receieve no/less brain waves?

 

[JaredJames]

Does your conscious mind actually "turn off" when you sleep or does it simply receieve no/less brain waves?

Are you reading the replies or just spouting random questions on a similar subject?

What do you mean "receive no/less brain waves?"? Your brain, so far as supporting your body doesn't change. It still does it's job to keep you alive.

So far as 'thinking' style processes go, it can actually become more active when you sleep.

Here's a nice article for you: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm

It explains brain activity during sleep. It outlines the stages and describes in detail what is going on.

These debates seem to imply that you "aren't yourself" during / after sleep. They also generally describe how you aren't "in your body" or in "other dimensions/realities" during sleep. However, all of this can be shot down simply by looking at a condition such as REM sleep behavior disorder, where paralysis doesn't occur and you "act out" your dreams. You are clearly still in your body during sleep, so where does the reasoning that you are 'someone else' on waking up come from? There's nothing scientific behind it.

 

[Calrid]

Basically its possible to tell you are asleep by brain waves but also areas of the brain don't tend to signal between each other as much when asleep which is probably why the whole thing seems fairly random, because our brain is not actually trying to make sense of the world it's just going through the conscious motions.

There is no conscious or unconscious in science as such just as there is not specific moment when something changes species. What there is is a sort of encompassing idea that certain states are associated with consciosness and certain states are not, these are not brain unique though. Which is why consciousness is a thorny issue at least if you want to define it rigidly or put it in a box or assign an area to it.

These debates seem to imply that you "aren't yourself" during / after sleep. They also generally describe how you aren't "in your body" or in "other dimensions/realities" during sleep. However, all of this can be shot down simply by looking at a condition such as REM sleep behavior disorder, where paralysis doesn't occur and you "act out" your dreams. You are clearly still in your body during sleep, so where does the reasoning that you are 'someone else' on waking up come from? There's nothing scientific behind it.

Dualists are inventive creatures, wrong but they always have the soul to fall back on, I'd put a pillow under that though as its awfully unsubstantial and you might hurt your ***.

 

[JaredJames]

Dualists are inventive creatures

Can be as inventive as they like. I've not seen anything to back up any ideas from the OP (or anywhere this debate appears). Nothing but word games and thought experiments.

Soul? Don't believe I have one and I'm just fine!

 

[Math Is Hard]

This topic is not appropriate for this forum.