Ah, sorry for the delay - was pulled away to each peaches and
whipped cream on cranberry nut loaf. Strange household.
I agree with you about the future and have boatloads of ideas
about how it might come about.
Regarding the illusion of social self though, while I agree with
much of the way they approach the conclusion, the ultimate
conclusion that it is an illusion I don't buy.
I haven't read this book, but I'm well aware of the concept;
consciousness is something that's continually fascinating to me.
While we can diagram and draw the processes as we are aware of
them now... and as we can utilize computers as metaphors for
brain activity, and we can use metaphors of stage acting and
camera tricks to stand in place of our perceptions of reality...
..they still remain metaphors.
While I believe it may be possible to create a subjective being
from programming, if that is indeed the case, it's likely we've
already done so.
The internet would see us as gods that occasionally give it
glimpses of ourselves as we type and participate with it but it
can never touch our reality in our fullness.
We'd have to go there.
But that speaks of the complexity=consciousness idea.... more
akin to the singularity concept.
You see, I don't believe there ARE illusions. All processes,
including the subjectivity of the self, including lying,
including optical illusions - all of these things are natural
and real.
The self is real although it could use some defining. Yet some
definitions will be entirely subjective and not objectifiable
very well, such as mystical experience for example, except for
others who comprehend the processes of mystical experience.
I don't think it's necessary to make the self illusionary in
order to construct a self.
Of course I'm not explaining myself properly tongue emoticon
