The Search for Consciousness May Remain an Elusive Dream

With all due respect to Francis H.C. Crick (“Francis Crick’s Quest,” by Michael A. Hiltzik, Nov. 17), many of his ideas about consciousness suffer from the fact that he has chosen to study something that, in large part, lies outside his area of expertise. Consciousness, whatever it is, will not be understood primarily at the level of neurons. Any behavioral phenomenon, especially one that is so dependent on learning, must first be understood in terms of its function in the environment. But Crick has taken the opposite approach--first trying to understand the neural correlates. In so doing, he has put the cart before the horse.

Although the article states that one of Crick’s “most important contributions” has been the deferral of the definition of consciousness, this is at odds with how science approaches other phenomena, such as the structure of DNA for which Crick and his colleagues were recognized. Asking where conscious thought resides in the brain--without first knowing what conscious thought is--will produce no answers. Because of this and other problems, Crick and his team will fail, just as philosophers for centuries have failed. They will not find consciousness in the brain or anywhere else.

Henry Schlinger

Department of Psychology

Cal State Northridge

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I had that Yogi Berra deja vu feeling all over again while reading about Crick’s efforts to locate consciousness in the brain’s neural mechanisms. Presented as the latest in scientific inquiry, the question of whether matter generates consciousness was mused upon thousands of years ago by schools of Indian philosophy, and it has been a hot topic among eggheads ever since.

It’s possible that Crick’s neurons are so exquisitely tuned on this issue that they will succeed where centuries of other neurons have failed. But take a look at contemporary research that shows the survival of human consciousness after bodily death. If Uncle Ed or Aunt Martha’s “souls” continue after their brain neurons have stopped firing, it would seem that Crick and his colleagues have been looking in the wrong direction.

Robert Resnikoff

West Hollywood

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From the beginning of time, the mysteries of life stimulated our imagination, which was expressed in greatness--greatness in art, music, literature and storytelling. Children grew up with mysteries told to them by their grandparents in the form of legends and parables, and they would dream. In those dreams great journeys were made. It may be that we will gain the knowledge of how we think and why we believe. But in that gain we will certainly lose something more important: the awe and wonder for our world and for each other.

Lou Marek

Los Angeles