Speaker: Prof. Mark Elliott, National University of Ireland Galway

Time: Sept. 26, 15:00 - 16:30

Venue: Room 1113, Wang Kezhen Building

Abstract: In so far as the mind refers to the brain, it refers to a massively complex dynamical system the main characteristic of which, in normal psychological functioning, is the ordered organisation of brain dynamics in time. Brecher (1932) showed for the first time that psychological presence is quantized into ca. 53 millisecond moments. But he also showed that these 'psychological moments' varied across species (as well as following drug use in human beings). Following von Uexküll (1928, 1934, 1955), we can say that meaningful contents of the environment (Umwelt) decide the animals processing priorities, processing capacity and ultimately the duration of their 'psychological moment’ But psychological moments also vary within individuals in a given species and even within individuals from time to time given transitory but nevertheless extraordinary states. We have quantified differences between human beings in examining healthy subjects, as well as patients with psychosis and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. These data will be used to explore ideas related to the continuity of the concept of the psychological moment across species as well as the state of mind to which it ultimately refers – consciosness.