“A Science of Consciousness: Buddhism (1), the ... - B. Alan Wallace

automobiles than they do about their own minds. 15 The general consensus
among psychologists is that introspection is an unreliable means for
investigating the mind. As for our current understanding of the mind and
consciousness, two of America’s most prominent philosophers of mind
comment, “Consciousness stands alone today as a topic that often leaves even
the most sophisticated thinkers tongue-tied and confused,” 16 and “where the
mind is concerned we are characteristically confused and in disagreement.” 17 The
real gist of Damasio’s assertion seems to be that we already have enough
understanding of mental processes themselves, so now the emphasis should be
placed on neuroscience to explore the biological processes that are, after all, the
same as mental processes, just viewed from an objective perspective.
If scientists were presented with a new instrument for observing a specific
type of natural phenomena, the first logical step for them to take before using
this instrument would be to examine its nature and capacities. Does this
instrument present the scientists merely its own artifacts, like looking through a
kaleidoscope, or does it provide them with data that exist independently of it? If
it does yield such information, does it distort it in the process of bringing it to
them, or does it provide them with truly objective data from a source
independent of the instrument? Only after they have understood the design,
functioning, reliability, and capacities of the instrument could they confidently
use it to collect data.
12