Mind may be process, property, state, structure, or substance {mental theories}. However, phenomena are insubstantial, cannot change state, have no structure, do not belong to objects or events, and are results not processes.
Perhaps, consciousness is a property {property theories of mind}. Physical-substance properties are features or variables that have values. Properties are stimulus type, frequency range, intensity or concentration range, comparison method, surface location, surface size, surface orientation, sensor and processing location, detection type, and comparison with other sense systems.
Perhaps, consciousness is a state {state theories of mind}. Physical-substance states are part and energy configurations, with positions and momenta or energies and times.
Perhaps, consciousness is a structure {structure theories of mind}. Physical-substance structures are part arrangements with patterns and relations. Brain regions are structures.
Mental structure has non-physical parts and relations. If structure is non-physical, it must still have physical means to move physical things. Physical means must follow physical laws.
Perhaps, hidden natural non-logical structure {hidden structure, consciousness} mediates between mental and physical. Hidden structure allows physical and mental to interact.
Perhaps, consciousness is a substance {substance theories of mind}. Mind does not "look at" sense qualities but "is" sense qualities.
non-physical
Perhaps, consciousness is special non-physical substance, such as soul, Ideal, or Form. New substances can explain complex or mysterious phenomena by having needed properties. For example, people noticed that the main difference between living and non-living things was that living things move parts and bodies, so they imagind a new substance, élan vital, that can animate non-living things. People experienced sense qualities and noticed that only humans can reason, have moral feelings, use language, and/or have subjective experiences. Perhaps, a new substance, soul or conscience, can inhabit body and provide it with consciousness. Non-physical substance must work using non-biological, non-chemical, and non-physical processes. People can learn nothing more about them and cannot test them, so they do not provide satisfactory explanations.
physical
Perhaps, consciousness is a new physical substance type. New substances can explain complex or mysterious phenomena by having needed properties. New physical substance types can work through either ordinary biological, chemical, and physical processes or new biological, chemical, and physical processes. For example, people felt warmth and noticed that it flows from cooler object to warmer object, so they imagined a new substance, phlogiston, that can flow. People sleep and notice that people become sleepy, so they imagined a new chemical, the dormant principle, that can induce sleep when released in brain. Invented physical substances include electrons, quarks, and Higgs particles. For physical substances, experiments can reveal physical, chemical, and biological properties.
Perhaps, consciousness is a process {process theories of mind}. Physical processes are events that transform input to output. Processes involve energy or information and flows or transformations. Processes can be top-down or bottom-up.
algorithm
Processes can be algorithms, such as finding square roots, which take input, transform it, and make output. Iterative algorithms can be slow.
non-algorithmic processes
Brain can use non-algorithmic procedures. Vectors and matrices are containers. Point graphs and edge graphs are container adapters. Matrices and graphs represent tables, polynomials, and object properties. Comparing numbers or strings, sorting, and generating random numbers are direct functions. File manipulations include renaming, moving, copying, and making directories.
circuit
Brains with enough mass and complexity have neural circuits and energy to run them. Circuits are loops that allow continuous flow, which brain can modulate and augment. Circuits can have input and output branches. Circuits can interact. Circuits have different lengths, axon numbers, and synapse numbers.
pathway and flow
Brains with enough mass and complexity have pathways and energy to make flows. Pathways carry different intensities, which brain can modulate and augment. Flows have different speeds. Flows can accumulate or dissipate energy or information, over time and space, in registers or other containers. Pathways have different lengths, axon numbers, and synapse numbers. Pathways can branch.
Perhaps, sense qualities are real properties that cause perception {occurrence, phenomena} {actuality, phenomena}.
Perhaps, experience happens if people think about perception reflexively {thinking, reflexive} {reflexive thinking}.
Perhaps, events observed with sense organs create thoughts {unconscious belief} about perceptual contents, which cause unconscious higher-order recognition or action.
Perhaps, phenomenal states unify by higher-order sense {higher-order sense} (HOS) or awareness, which is conscious. However, then higher sense is another conscious object {just more contents}.
Perhaps, experiences unify by higher-order thought {higher-order thought} (HOT), which is not conscious.
Perhaps, phenomenal states are only whole {subsumption}, with no separable parts.
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Date Modified: 2022.0225