Vijay Shankar Sharma
Textbook neuroscience, philosophy of mind, and clinical terms. Not a reinterpretation of Vijay's Law or the Consciousness Index. 148 terms. Textbook meanings only.
5 terms. Page 1 of 1.
consciousness-theories · intermediate
A position developed by philosopher John Searle holding that consciousness is a real, biological phenomenon caused by specific neurobiological processes in the brain, in the same way that digestion is caused by the biological processes of the digestive system, and that it is a mistake to treat consciousness as something purely abstract or computational that could be equally realised in any substrate.
perception · intermediate
A condition in which a person with damage to the primary visual cortex reports being unable to consciously see in part of their visual field, yet can still respond accurately, above chance, to visual stimuli presented there, such as correctly guessing the location or orientation of an object they report not seeing. It is used as evidence that visual information can be processed and acted upon without producing conscious visual experience.
perception · intro
A mode of perceptual processing that begins with raw sensory data and builds up toward more complex interpretations, without relying on prior knowledge or expectations to shape the initial input. It is typically contrasted with top-down processing, in which prior knowledge and expectation shape how incoming sensory data is interpreted from the outset.
clinical-and-disorders · intro
The complete and irreversible loss of all brain function, including the brainstem, resulting in the total absence of consciousness, spontaneous breathing, and brainstem reflexes. It is legally and medically recognised as equivalent to death, distinguishing it from states such as coma or the vegetative state, in which some brain function persists and recovery, though often unlikely, remains biologically possible.
neuroscience · intermediate
The stalk-like region connecting the brain to the spinal cord, comprising the midbrain, pons, and medulla, which regulates basic life-sustaining functions including heart rate, breathing, and the sleep-wake cycle. It also contains the reticular activating system, a network central to arousal and consciousness. Because it controls vital autonomic functions, brainstem damage is far more life-threatening than damage of similar size elsewhere in the brain.