CONSCIOUSNESS THEORY GROUP
One of the biggest unsolved mysteries of science is the nature of ordinary
awareness. What actually happens in the universe when a human being moves
from an unconscious state of deep sleep into wakeful perceiving and willful
action? Are the Buddhists right who say All is Mind or the Materialists
who say All is Matter?
Meeting at retired helicopter designer Arthur Young's Center for the Study
of Consciousness, the founding members of the CTG included Saul-Paul Sirag,
Nick Herbert, Jerry (Equal Rights for Robots) White and John Holmdahl. Together
we represented expertise in math, physics, computer science and biology
and resolved to attack the problem of ordinary awareness with good humor
and all the intellectual means at our command. Later CTG met at Saul-Paul's
apartment in San Francisco across from Henry Dakin's Washington Street Center
with which we shared many common interests. Many members of CTG also participated
in the Esalen Seminars on the Nature of Reality
which took up broader issues than the mechanisms of ordinary awareness.
At CTG we explored many of the current computational and biological models
of mind and invented a few new ones (notably Saul-Paul's
Theory of Everything that includes not only what a physicist calls a
Theory of Everything--particles and forces--but conscious experience as
well). One of CTG's most enriching projects was the Jim Culbertson Week
where some of us traveled to San Luis Obispo to share thoughts on mind matters
with the little-known author of "Minds
of Robots."
The Metaphase Typewriter--first attempt at an artificial
quantum mind--was first conceived at a CTG meeting and many members and
friends of CTG participated in its testing. Nick Herbert's book on consciousness
"Elemental Mind" draws much of its insight
from long and pleasant hours spent in the company of his CTG pals.
BACK
usps://usa.ca/95006.bouldercreek/box261/nick.herbert
quanta@cruzio.com