Caging the Beast: A Theory of Sensory Consciousness _
Advances in Consciousness Research
by Paula Droege. John Benjamin Publishing Company, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A., 2004. 181 pp. Paper.

ISBN: 1-58811-391-4.

Reviewed by Rob Harle

recluse@lis.net.au

Caging The Beast: A Theory of Sensory Consciousness is the latest release in the series — Advances in Consciousness Research (AiCR) from John Benjamins Publishing. There are already fifty volumes published in this series which is indicative of the amount of work going on in this field and also the intractability of understanding the phenomenon of consciousness.

This book by Paula Droege is an attempt to provide a theory of sensory consciousness, how it differs from unconscious states and why a physical brain gives rise to such states such as, "...the rich and luxurious qualities of red velvet" or the enticing fragrance of "fresh-brewed coffee".

Caging The Beast is not an breezy read, which is really only to be expected given the complexity of the subject matter. However, Droege does a good job in providing a methodical and logical presentation of her theory, including a Test Run in Chapter 5.

The book consists of five chapters and an important appendix, together with an excellent bibliography and a barely adequate index. Chapter One - On Sensory Consciousness discusses the nature of sensory consciousness, including the theories of other researchers. Chapter Two - On Higher-order Theories of Consciousness, analyses the so called higher-order theory of consciousness, objections to this theory and formulates an alternative, flat theory of sensory consciousness. Chapter Three - Solving The Problem of Spot-sight is an intriguing look at the phenomenon of Dretske’s case of "spot-sight" and Dennett’s game of "thimble-seeking". Chapter Four - Subjectivity takes a critical look at this much confused phenomenon and includes discussion of Nagels’ notion of subjectivity. Chapter Five - Testing The Theory does just this by pitting it against the rhetorical objections of Block, Dennett and Rosenthal, among others.

The final chapter is an appendix entitled - A Speculative Hypothesis which deals with the brain, neurophysiology and "locating" sensory consciousness. This section failed to address my concern, which nagged me throughout the book, that no mention was made of the research of Hobson [1] nor indeed the work of D. Gelernter [2] or B. O. States [3]. The omission of Hobson’s work in any discussion concerning brains, neurophysiology and consciousness is simply unforgivable. In, The Chemistry of Conscious States Hobson clearly explains the difference between conscious and nonconscious awareness, backed up by considerable empirical research.

States and Gelernter’s philosophical work supports Hobson’s scientific experimental studies and deserve mention in any attempt to explain consciousness. Even if a researcher does not agree with their theories and findings, they are important enough to include for attempted refutation. I must say though, this lacuna is not unique to Droege. It seems any research into consciousness should include all the serious research literature available. If for no other reason than, the extreme scientific reductionist approach of attempting to locate consciousness somewhere specific in the "brain", has so far failed.

Perhaps sensory conscious states, if they are, "…coordinated representations of the present moment" (p. 145) are located in cells distributed throughout the entire network of a complex-functioning-system. Recent research has shown that the heart has neuronal cells similar to the brain’s and makes decisions independent of the brain — see The Institute of Heartmath [4]. If this research is correct it indicates that the brain is most definitely not the sole repository of consciousness, sensory or otherwise.

Maybe the whole scientific reductionist approach is myopic and looking through the wrong glasses, as Clark says:

It [fundamental mind-matter separation] persists in the way we
study brain and mind, excluding as "peripheral" the roles of the
rest of the body and the local environment. It persists in the lack
of attention to the ways the body and local environment are literally
built into the processing loops that result in intelligent action.[5]

These caveats aside, this book is a useful addition to the literature of the quest to understand consciousness, both students and researchers alike will benefit from its inclusion in their library.

References:
1 – J.A. Hobson The Chemistry of Conscious States. Boston. Little Brown & Co. 1994.
2 – D. Gelernter The Muse In The Machine: Computerizing the Poetry of Human Thought. New York. Free Press, Macmillan. 1994.

4 – The Institute of Heartmath Boulder Creek, CA. www.heartmath.org

5 – A. Clark Being There: Putting, Brain, Body & Mind Together Again. Cambridge, MA. Bradford Book, MIT Press. 1997.