INTRODUCTION

Mental maps involve a bottom up process where various fragments of information are compiled, compared and arranged so that an overall concept or (concepts) is revealed. They are a useful tool for researching topics that encompass several different fields of study.

The purpose of this Blog is to collect various nodes of information (including ideas, concepts, facts, opinions, and resources) pertaining to how human beings experience and engage the outside world. Furthermore, these nodes will be collected from various different subjects including biology, psychology, philosophy, film, fine art, architecture and consciousness. Consciousness, in particular, serves as an ideal starting point for an investigation on human experience as it is the culmination of several mental and biological processes that define our “inner” life. Each node of information will be labeled according to its subject and, using these labels, the various nodes of information will be arranged into a “mental map”. The map will essentially resemble a lattice, tree, or index of some sort that will be posted on or made available via this blog. The mental map will not only illustrate key concepts pertaining to human experience, but also how these concepts work within a larger system of phenomena, thus creating a more complete and cohesive picture of the above topic. Naturally, there will be several drafts of this mental map; in fact, I imagine it will be a very long time before a fully complete version will be ready, especially considering the scope of the topic. Despite this I believe that key concepts will become apparent even in the early versions of the map and reveal intriguing opportunities for further research.

You can get involved by commenting on any of the postings below in the "dialogue" section. I would appreciate suggestions for any other resources such as articles, books, or films that are related to the general topic in some way. Also, feel free to remark on the validity of any of the posted ideas and propositions , the more the opinions the better. Use the links in "navigation" section to browse through the blog and to keep informed as to how the research is developing.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Please find below the beginnings of a reading list, this list will be become a permanent feature within the blog and will help to define the boundaries of the investigation at any given point in time. Some of these books I have read and some I am planning to read:

Introduction to Consciousness – Arne Dietrich
Conversations on Consciousness – Susan Blackmore
The Blackwell Companion to Consciousness – Edited by M. Velmans and S. Schneider
Discourse on Method and The Meditations – Rene Descartes
Ethics – Benedict de Spinoza
Your Brain is (Almost) Perfect – Read Montague
The Feeling of What Happens – Antonio Damasio
Descartes’ Error – Antonio Damasio
Consciousness Explained – Daniel Dennett 

(The above books are are related to Consciousness, as mentioned in my opening statement, studying consciousness will be a key aspect to my research. The first four books on the list provide a general introduction and overview on the subject. The next two philosophical texts are some of the earliest writings on the subject and provide a different sort of introduction on the subject and when compared with the first four books one can see how the dialogue on the subject has developed. The other texts explain theories referred to in the first text in more detail. This part of the "Consciousness" reading list will most definitely expand as time goes on.)

Critique of Judgement – Immanuel Kant

Aesthetic judgement can play a key role in how we experience the outside world. Immanuel Kant’s “Critique of Judgement” provides useful insight into the subject.

The Social Logic of Space – Hillier and Hanson
The Production of Space – Henri Lefebvre
The Poetics of Space – Gaston Bachelard

While the texts on consciousness place an emphasis on the biological and mental processes of the person, these books spend more time considering how form and space can influence how experience our environment life as well as how these elements become manifestations of our "inner" lives.

Memento (film)
Waking Life (film)

Memento examines how our subjective internal narratives vary extensively compared to reality. It also reveals the crucial role memory plays in the development of consciousness. Waking Life also examines the validity of our subjective, “waking” realities by integrating the ideas of various philosophers.
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