In Our Heads

The coverage of Dr. Michael Graziano’s theory of consciousness was interesting, but is simply another variation of the prevalent reductionistic effort to explain mind/consciousness as a consequence of the bioelectrical function of the brain. Like all such reductionistic efforts, it excludes from its purview and refuses to acknowledge the rapidly growing literature documenting the continuation of consciousness in states (near-death experiences and complete interruption of cerebral blood flow induced in deep-brain surgery) where there is a total cessation of brain activity as determined by EEGs. Further, I doubt I’m alone in saying I’ve never thought that a puppet was aware of itself and the world around it — even in the case of Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.