Ah – I found an answer I gave once on the coma question: [part of a response to the “mirror test” of consciousness] Aug 19, 2016 — Something desperately lacking in current scientific models is a lack of first person perspective. I’m well read on the accepted processes and practices. The current models are weak, and necessarily so: until there is provability of self-awareness (such as making a surprise noise upon seeing one’s own face in the mirror), all they can say is, “no provable self-awareness”. But, that’s a limitation of the testing procedures. Through the years, this self-awareness issue has justified a lot of horrendous things. Consider coma patients. Until just a few years ago, it was believed they felt no pain because whatever test they threw at them, didn’t show awareness. Lots of awful things done to coma patients based upon what amounted to poor testing procedures. Now, they know better. Coma patients _are_ aware, at least some of them are, at least some of the time.

Ah – I found an answer I gave once on the coma question: [part of a response to the “mirror test” of consciousness]

Aug 19, 2016
—
Something desperately lacking in current scientific models is a lack of first person perspective.

I’m well read on the accepted processes and practices. The current models are weak, and necessarily so: until there is provability of self-awareness (such as making a surprise noise upon seeing one’s own face in the mirror), all they can say is, “no provable self-awareness”.

But, that’s a limitation of the testing procedures.

Through the years, this self-awareness issue has justified a lot of horrendous things.

Consider coma patients.

Until just a few years ago, it was believed they felt no pain because whatever test they threw at them, didn’t show awareness.

Lots of awful things done to coma patients based upon what amounted to poor testing procedures.

Now, they know better. Coma patients _are_ aware, at least some of them are, at least some of the time.

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