Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
would
English answer:
The doubt is about the causal link or mechanism involved
Added to glossary by
B D Finch
May 13, 2019 18:46
5 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
would
English
Other
Linguistics
origin of consciousness in brain functioning
Dear colleagues,
I was wondering about the use of the conditional in this sentence: “How and why this degree of integration would determine the subjective experience of being aware, we just don’t know” taken from the passage below about a particular theory of the origin of consciousness in brain functioning.
Might it be that the use of “would” convey that the author somehow is not completely convinced of this theory? In other words, would it be possible to say the same sentence using the indicative form: “How and why this degree of integration can determine the subjective experience of being aware, we just don’t know”, or would this rephrasing be incorrect?
Thank you so much for your help!
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Being aware seems to involve a linking of differentiated parts in the brain. The overall perspective derived from this kind of pattern, as we’ll discuss soon, is called the integrated information theory of consciousness and proposes that some degree of integration—the linking of different parts of the brain—is needed for awareness of something to arise. For example, when we hear a sound and become aware of the felt texture of the sound, the brain has achieved a certain level of coordination of a range of areas at the moment we know we are hearing the sound. How and why this degree of integration *** would *** determine the subjective experience of being aware, we just don’t know.
I was wondering about the use of the conditional in this sentence: “How and why this degree of integration would determine the subjective experience of being aware, we just don’t know” taken from the passage below about a particular theory of the origin of consciousness in brain functioning.
Might it be that the use of “would” convey that the author somehow is not completely convinced of this theory? In other words, would it be possible to say the same sentence using the indicative form: “How and why this degree of integration can determine the subjective experience of being aware, we just don’t know”, or would this rephrasing be incorrect?
Thank you so much for your help!
*******************
Being aware seems to involve a linking of differentiated parts in the brain. The overall perspective derived from this kind of pattern, as we’ll discuss soon, is called the integrated information theory of consciousness and proposes that some degree of integration—the linking of different parts of the brain—is needed for awareness of something to arise. For example, when we hear a sound and become aware of the felt texture of the sound, the brain has achieved a certain level of coordination of a range of areas at the moment we know we are hearing the sound. How and why this degree of integration *** would *** determine the subjective experience of being aware, we just don’t know.
Change log
May 20, 2019 18:56: B D Finch Created KOG entry
Responses
22 hrs
Selected
The doubt is about the causal link or mechanism involved
The author is discussing the integrated information theory of consciousness, which they have said " proposes that some degree of integration ... is needed for awareness". His subsequent comment “How and why this degree of integration would determine the subjective experience of being aware, we just don’t know,” moves on to consider the question of causation/determination. So, they are not necessarily doubting the degree of integration, but saying that how (i.e. by what causal links or mechanism) that degree of integration would determine subjective experience remains unexplained. So, that leaves the possibility that it might be necessary to, but not determining of the subjective experience of awareness.
So, I think that the doubt introduced by the conditional only applies to the effect of the integration and how it works, but not to the premise about the degree of integration. While that doesn't mean that the author necessarily accepts the premise, they are not challenging it here.
So, I think that the doubt introduced by the conditional only applies to the effect of the integration and how it works, but not to the premise about the degree of integration. While that doesn't mean that the author necessarily accepts the premise, they are not challenging it here.
Note from asker:
| Thank you very much, Ms Finch, for your clear explanation! |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you so much, Ms Finch, for your clear explanation! I also wish to thank all other participants for their useful remarks and contribution!"
-1
6 mins
Claudia Letizia
Germany
Germany
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
Germany
Specialist in Food and Academic Writing
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
, Italian (Variant: Standard-Italy)
Works in: Italian to English, English to Italian, English, and 4 more.
slight skepticism
I believe that both options would be correct and that there is a slight difference in meaning between the two options. I perceive the first variant as slightly skeptical. But I couldn't say for sure that the author meant to take a stance, it could be simply a matter of style.
Interestingly, somebody else opened a Kudoz for exactly the same sentence and specifically for the verb form used in this sentence just a few minutes ago in the language pair ENG>ITA.
Are you guys working together?
Interestingly, somebody else opened a Kudoz for exactly the same sentence and specifically for the verb form used in this sentence just a few minutes ago in the language pair ENG>ITA.
Are you guys working together?
Note from asker:
| Thank you so much, Claudia Letizia, for your help! Actually, I initially posted the question in the English-Italian section, but there doesn't seem to be a single answer possible... |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Tony M
: I don't think ti implies any degree of scepticism, but simply the honest adlmission that this is a hypothetical situation that no-one really knows about.
15 mins
|
| neutral |
liz askew
: I agree with Tony
12 hrs
|
| disagree |
Angie Garbarino
: Agree with Tony, hypothetical situation
16 hrs
|
+1
6 hrs
David Hollywood
Native in English
&
English
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
51
might/could be constructed as
this is the idea
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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-05-14 01:07:57 GMT)
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could be seen as
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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-05-14 01:09:02 GMT)
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there's a degree of doubt and incredulity
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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-05-14 01:11:32 GMT)
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but still accepting the possibility that this might be the case
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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-05-14 01:16:23 GMT)
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although there's a marked degree of doubt
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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-05-14 01:07:57 GMT)
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could be seen as
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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-05-14 01:09:02 GMT)
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there's a degree of doubt and incredulity
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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-05-14 01:11:32 GMT)
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but still accepting the possibility that this might be the case
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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-05-14 01:16:23 GMT)
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although there's a marked degree of doubt
Note from asker:
| Thank you very much, David, for your contribution! I see, however, that maybe this sentence is open to "personal" interpretation, because there seems to be two slightly different viewpoints... |
1 hr
English term (edited):
How and why this degree of integration would determine the subjective experience of being aware
it seems to be some kind of link between the two but we have no idea how that link operates
strictly speaking: we have no idea how/by what kind of mechanisms "this degree of integration" could "determine the subjective experience of being aware"
Obviously, it this possibility is even considered, there must be in the first place some indication that it could exist.
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Note added at 14 hrs (2019-05-14 08:47:30 GMT)
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or:
for this possibility to have been even considered, there must have been in the first place some indication that some link could exist between the two.
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Note added at 14 hrs (2019-05-14 08:59:54 GMT)
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that's a pretty common situation in any research: you stumble on a possible link between two phenomena, but you have (at first) no idea why or how this link between the two would operate.
Obviously, it this possibility is even considered, there must be in the first place some indication that it could exist.
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Note added at 14 hrs (2019-05-14 08:47:30 GMT)
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or:
for this possibility to have been even considered, there must have been in the first place some indication that some link could exist between the two.
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Note added at 14 hrs (2019-05-14 08:59:54 GMT)
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that's a pretty common situation in any research: you stumble on a possible link between two phenomena, but you have (at first) no idea why or how this link between the two would operate.
Note from asker:
| Thank you very much, Daryo, for your contribution! |
Discussion
Pourquoi et comment une telle intégration conduirait-elle à l’expérience subjective de la conscience? Nous l’ignorons.
Par ailleurs, et je me trompe peut-être, mais il me semble que l’utilisation de l’indicatif - Pourquoi et comment une telle intégration conduit-elle à l’expérience subjective de la conscience? Nous l’ignorons. - laisserait entendre une contradiction: si le processus (le linking/ l’intégration) est incertain, comment peut-on avancer qu’il determine (de fait) la conscience?
thanks for your help!