Monday, 15 November 2021

Aphantasia, Lucid Dreams and Consciousness?

People with Aphantasia have no functional 'mind's eye'. They cannot visualise things, even the faces of their nearest and dearest. In spite of this, people with Aphantasia generally have no problem with getting on in life. They don't, however, score well on the Vividness of Visual Imagery Test. One reknown Biologist, Craig Venter, even claims the condition has made him a better scientist. Venter implies that it makes him less prone to imagine things. Although Aphantasics sleep, they are unlikely to have strong visual recollections of dreams. Some researchers are suggesting, however, that the current enthusiasm for training or drug-inducing lucid dreams, may ultimately inform us about the nature of human consciousness (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/nov/14/can-lucid-dreaming-help-us-understand-consciousness). Nobody would, I hope, argue that people with Aphantasia, are not conscious! Recalling information is, however, clearly done differently in some people. Perhaps perceptions of consciousness will also not be quite the same in all folk?

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