how does sensory organs produce sensation

[rajesh_m]

We receive touch, sight, taste, smell and sound physically to the brain. But what is it in the brain that create sensation for e.g sight, touch. Is the sensation due to something else . In other words is consciousness physical.

[insane_alien]

basically, when you smell an orange, somechemical receptors in your nose activate and start sending electrical signals to your brain. your brain interprets the signature of the impulses as that of the smell of oranges (or rather it interprets it as a sensation which has memory links to the smell of an orange).

 

if you sent the same signals directly into the olfactory nerves then you would smell orange without there being any orange present.

 

all sensory organs work the same way. some receptors either activate or deactivate and the pattern of activation is interpreted by the brain to produce sensation and usually calls up memories associated with them to allow identification.

[rajesh_m]

the pattern of activation is interpreted by the brain to produce sensation and usually calls up memories associated with them to allow identification.

 

So say when orange is tasted for the first time, where did it hire the new sensation of its taste. Since tasting something only send electrical signal to the brain.

[insane_alien]

So say when orange is tasted for the first time, where did it hire the new sensation of its taste. Since tasting something only send electrical signal to the brain.

 

the sensation is the patterns of signals from the tastebuds. If it is the first time then there won't be any memory associated but a memory will be created. just a simple association 'when i eat this fruit, this is the sensation i get' which would be reinforced by further tasting.

[rajesh_m]

the sensation is the patterns of signals from the tastebuds.

Thanks. Is this sensation and subjective experience same things.

[MonDie]

Thanks. Is this sensation and subjective experience same things.

How could we know the answer to that?

Philosophically, I would answer no because sensation (as it was previously defined) is a material phenomenon, and the experience is a psychological phenomenon.

Edited July 9, 2012 by Mondays Assignment: Die

[Nathan Flinn]

Is this sensation and subjective experience same things.

 

Sensation is a low level representation of the world (activity of particular photo-receptors in the retina, for example) and can be objectively measured (by electrophysiology, for example). Subjective experience is by definition not directly observable. It is only reported. Logically it is impossible to know if what you and I call "red" is in fact the same experience. This is an age old question.

 

There are some quasi-objective measurements of experience for colors: yellow is reported to be light in "weight" as compared to red. There seems to be a scale of "weights" for colors that is quite universal. But this poses another question, namely: is the experience of weight subjective in the same sense as that of color is?

 

Anyways, it is a good question.