Listening to an old Jordan Peterson podcast, as I’m known to do while tuning out the futility of my occupation, I came across a definition of consciousness that the lecturer appeared to be riffing on. Transcribed here:
“…that’s kind of what consciousness is doing all the time; you’re laying out an automatized routine, and then if that doesn’t produce the intended outcome, you stop. You become conscious really because there’s nothing like an error to make you conscious. Then you do a high-resolution analysis of the space in which the error emerged, you rematch your motor output, your perceptions, and all of that to make the error go away, and away you go. So your consciousness seems to be continually building your unconscious, your procedural unconscious.
So in some degree, the purpose of consciousness is to make you functional unconsciously.
Right, because that’s way better. You don’t want to be conscious of most things. What are you going to do be conscious of you’re digestive processes?
No, if you’re good at something you hardly have to be conscious of it at all. So, consciousness is something like an error detection and rectification system.
So say you practice being conscious because what that means, in some sense, is that you’re always attending to your errors. And that seems to be a really intelligent thing to do if you don’t take it too far and collapse yourself. Because if you’re always attending to your errors, you’re always improving your automated adaptability.
Pay attention. See if things are working out the way that you want them to, and if they’re not, modify your approach, your perceptions.”
Wow. That’s the best explanation of human consciousness I’ve come across. It fits with my theory of how we use practice (or Paigetian games) to create new neural pathways and overcome transcendent obstacles.
Here are some of what I think are some of the most important aspects of CBT, brought to you by chatGPT:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and that by changing negative thought patterns and behaviors, we can alleviate emotional distress and improve our mental well-being.
Consciously focusing on things we do unconsciously?
Cognitive restructuring in CBT focuses on identifying and challenging negative or irrational thought patterns and beliefs. Clients learn to recognize automatic negative thoughts and replace them with more balanced and realistic ones.
Clients work on changing specific behaviors that contribute to their psychological problems. This may involve setting goals, developing problem-solving skills, and practicing new behaviors.
CBT is typically time-limited and structured, meaning it often consists of a set number of sessions with specific goals and agendas. The structured approach helps clients see progress over time.
CBT acknowledges the influence of past experiences on current thoughts and behaviors, it primarily focuses on the present and future. Develop strategies to manage current challenges.
CBT is considered an evidence-based therapy, meaning that it has been extensively researched and has demonstrated effectiveness in numerous clinical trials for various psychological conditions.
The core principle of CBT is to identify and change thought and behavior patterns.
As my brother best put it “CBT is the mixed martial arts of psychotherapy.”
Most other theories can be incorporated within CBT and there are many ways to practice being conscious of our thoughts. This form of therapy works for me and is covered by most insurance. I believe there is a part of us that innately understands this process as a way of betterment.