External and Internal data

[pioneer]

There are two forms of data we can collect. There is external data and internal data. As an example, a group of people are at a concert. They all see/hear the same external things at the via their sensory systems. Although they all see/hear the same things, the concert might impact each person in a unique way, internally. If you were trying to observe the internal impact of the concert on yourself (internal data observation), one might note data like feelings, sensations, imagery, memory inductions, etc.

 

Unlike the external data, which we all can see, agree, and prove, this internal data can also be hard data, yet it is not as easy to transfer. I can use language to describe the internal data, but that would always fall short of my being able to get another to have the same full inner experience. We can't do a Mr Spock mind meld to transfer this inner data. It existed in reality, but there is not any good way to scientifically prove that it existed in reality down to details. You would have to take my word. We would call that subjective experience, even if it was data that was objectively observed. It can be objective to the person who has the internal experience, but it would be considered subjective to others, since it can't be scientifically proven.

 

Maybe an analogy is seeing the moon and then trying to transfer this to a blind man who can't see that exact thing. What is objectively real will not appear to exist, since you can't prove it too him in a scientific way since he can't utilize the needed data transfer method (visual). The scientific method breaks down with internal data, since even if it is real, there is a break down with respect to the data transfer linkage so the data is not reproducible.

[pioneer]

Let me given another example. There is a small group of scientists observing a bird, to collect external data. The way this data train goes; light that is reflecting off the bird enters the eyes. The eyes convert the light energy into electro-chemical energy. The electro-chemical energy merges with other electro-chemical aspects within the brain. Consciousness then interprets these composite internal electro-chemical signals to create an awareness of the features of the bird.

 

While the scientists are looking at the bird, to collect detailed data, the bird flies away. Luckily, Joe has a photographic memory. With the physical object gone, Joe makes uses of the lingering electrochemical signals within his brain to help fill in the remaining details. In this case, Joe uses internal data. Although we can't directly see what Joe see's in his head, using any known machine, since it is a bunch of electro-chemical signals, we can accept what Joe says, because the details he fills in, have been verifiable in the past.

 

As Joe interprets the electro-chemical signals of the after-image in his memory, converting the signals to audio signals (language), he also provides details of the twists in the branch, the texture of the tree's bark, etc., Although this visual input, had to have entered everyone's brain, most were not aware of this external data. They are all bird experts and their consciousness was only focusing on the electro-chemical signals from the bird, ignoring other data. This extra internal data would not be considered verifiable, since they were not aware of this data. But since they trust Joe's memory, they will use his internal data as the basis for this extra external verification.

 

Let me give a different example. We are sailors 1000 years ago. As we look out on the ocean, what we see is a flat earth. The way this alternate reality works is the sensory data enters the eyes and is again converted to electrochemical signals. These signals merges with the electro-chemical signals associated with the belief/memory the earth is flat. Consciousness comes into the picture at the electrochemical stage, such that the blend of internal and external data is what is interpreted as external data verification. They all see the flat earth and extrapolate from there.

 

Philosophy often discusses what is reality. Relative to consciousness, consciousness enters at the electrochemical stage of the process. This is at the junction between the sensory input and what we assume to be true (internal data organization). Within this merge of internal and external data, we interpret reality. Our sailer above is convince what he sees is real, because at the level of the sensory input this is real data entering the brain. But at the place where consciousness come in, this data merges with his internal data organization. If we all have the same internal data organization (flat earth), we all see the same thing as verifiable external data.

Edited August 22, 2010 by pioneer

[pioneer]

There is a wild card variable when it comes to internal data. For example, it is your first time jumping out of a plane to parachute. You are all gun-ho, until you look out the door. There is now a sudden feeling of fear. This is animal fear. The visual input data of the height merges with an instinctive data grid to create this natural internal data of fear, right down to the uneasy feeling in your stomach. On the other hand, you have been in class for several days learning about parachute safety, so there is also a part of you that is fairly sure this is safe to do. Now there are two internal data merges connected to the same input data, one from the conscious mind and the other from the instinctive unconscious.

 

This is an easy example to see the distinction of two data merger conscious as internal data. Let us look at a case where there are two distinct data merges of external data, but they appear to stem from a single merged grid. Both the conscious and unconscious have their grids, but consciousness thinks this is all from a conscious grid. The easiest example to see is falling in love. The behavior is very collective at one level, but it is also somewhat specific in terms of a unique place and space and time. Anyone can tell when another is in love due to its collective/instinctive basis. But at the same time, there is a level of uniqueness to the couple due to each being unique.

 

When you are in love, one sees the beloved through rose colored glasses, while thinking this is due to the sensory reality of them. The data is being process consciously and unconsciously with the dual merger putting one in this semi-conscious state. If you were to fall out of love, so the unconscious grid changes, the same external observations, which made the other so beloved, might start to bother you. It depends on which unconscious grid is merged with the conscious grid. Others will notice your inflated image of the beloved or the deflated image during the break up. But because of the merge of internal data, the person in the middle, thinks both are reasonable. But external reality never changed to the third person.

 

Another grid for sensory data to merge for internal data, can come from what Freud called the superego. This is sort of the collective traditions of one's culture. Unlike the ego collecting its own data of external reality, partially merged with unconscious data collection, the super ego taught, by culture, to create its own merge grid for external data. For example, Romeo and Juliette are in love, due to the merge of their unconscious and conscious minds. But there is also the superego (tradition) merge which forbids their love. As the story goes, there is no good way to merge the superego with their overlapped love grids. Each is asked to repress the instinctive love and merge their ego with their cultural superego. But nature keeps merging with their ego. They are torn in the middle in a grid which has no form, which can generate a resolution.

 

External sensory data is not always so straight forward in the light of internal data.

Edited August 23, 2010 by pioneer