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.
6 terms. Page 1 of 1.
philosophy-of-mind · intro
The question of why and how physical processes in the brain give rise to subjective experience at all, as opposed to the comparatively tractable question of explaining the brain's functions and behaviours. The term was coined by philosopher David Chalmers to distinguish this question from the 'easy problems' of explaining cognitive functions like memory or attention, which are difficult in practice but not mysterious in the same way.
cognitive-science · intro
A mental shortcut or rule of thumb that allows quick, efficient judgements or decisions without exhaustive analysis, at the cost of sometimes producing systematic errors. Psychologists Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman documented several influential heuristics, including the availability heuristic, in which people judge the likelihood of an event by how easily examples come to mind.
consciousness-theories · intermediate
Also called: HOT
A family of theories holding that a mental state becomes conscious when it is the object of a further, higher-order mental state representing it, such as a thought about that state. On this view, a perception becomes a conscious perception not simply by occurring, but by being represented, monitored, or noticed by a higher-order mental process directed at it.
neuroscience · intro
A seahorse-shaped brain structure in the medial temporal lobe central to forming new long-term memories, especially of facts and events, and to spatial navigation. The famous patient H.M., whose hippocampus was removed to treat epilepsy, lost the ability to form new long-term memories while retaining earlier ones, providing key evidence for its role. It is one of few brain regions where new neurons continue to form in adulthood.
sleep-and-altered-states · intermediate
The transitional state between wakefulness and sleep, often accompanied by vivid, dream-like imagery, unusual sensations, or brief hallucinations. A related state occurring during the transition from sleep back to wakefulness is termed hypnopompia. Both states have historically been associated with reports of creative insight.
sleep-and-altered-states · intermediate
A state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, typically induced through a structured procedure, in which a person's perceptions, memories, or behaviours can be temporarily altered in response to suggestions. Contrary to popular depictions, hypnosis does not typically involve unconsciousness or loss of control, and a person generally cannot be hypnotised to act against their basic will or values.