the dream child hypothesis

(on amazon)

that the self begins at first breath

should it be tested or not?

“Paisios” said:

I am curious how you would test such an hypothesis (though I know nothing about this dream child hypothesis)?

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yes, the hypothesis is most likely beyond testing with today's technology, and may always remain so. Perhaps the hypothesis could be tested in animals, but then do you think tests with animals would extend to humans?

Tinker Grey said:

In principle, one could measure the brain state before and after the first breath. I don't know how this could be done practically.

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Hmm ... Yes, that sounds like the cover diagram
of the dream child hypothesis on amazon,
sort of like a game board
with only one place for the token to move.

In the rules of the game,

the fact of self-existence
causes
the event of self-existing;

and then

the event of self-existing
produces
the fact of self-existence.

This cycle repeats,
until all of the "thermodynamic fuel"
in the token is exhausted.

The actual location in the brain
of this thermodynamic engine
is the "superior colliculus"
(as they call it).

(This is said to be a very old region
of the vertebrate brain,
being as it is,
in the roof of the midbrain.)

The dream child hypothesis
is that
the superior colliculus
fires into action
during the first breath.

Just
as in the cover diagram
on amazon.

“Paisios” said:

I am curious how you would test such an hypothesis (though I know nothing about this dream child hypothesis)?

Click to expand...

To test the hypothesis,
a scientist could look
for the kind of cycling neuronal network
that's in the attached
red diagram of "self",
before and after
the first breath.