Explaining Consciousness: The Hard Problem

408 Pages·1999·4.498 MB·English

by  Jonathan Shear

ExplainCionngs ciousness
- The 'HardP roblem'
Editebdy
JonathSahne ar
A BradfoBrodo k
The MIT Press
CambridMgaes,sa chusetts
LondonE,n gland
Copyri1g99ht5- b7y th eJ ouronfCa oln scioSutsundeisess
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ImprAciandte mPiOcB ,o x1Th ,o rverto5YX,n
EX5 UK
Alrli grhetsesr vNeodp .art o ft hbioso mka yb er eprodiunac nefydo rbmya neyl ectroormn eicch anical
means (including phootrioc nofpoyrimnagti,o nar nerdscet otrorirdeaiwvgniaegtl ,h)pe o rumti ssiino n
writfrionmtg h ceo pyright holder.
This bwoaosske itnT imes Newb yRI ommparAcnia ndte mic.
Prinatnebddo unidnt hUen iteSdta teosfA merica.
LibraorfCy o ngrCeastsa loging-in-Publication-Data
Explaicnoinnscgi outshn"eeh saspr:rd o bl/ee md"i btyeJ do natShhaena r.
p. cm.
Bradfboorodk ."
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Inclubdiebsl iogrraepfheirceanlc es.
ISBN-91738 ..-2 06 2-193(8h8:ea- .l7 p ka.p e9r7)8 -0-262-(6p9b2ak2l.1pk -a.2:p er)
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ISBN-0l-O2 62-19(3h8:ea8 .l- pk4a .p e0r-)2 62-69(2p2b1:ak- l.Xpk a.p er)
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1C.o nsciouIsS.nh eesars,O.]o .n athan)
B808.9.1E99876
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1098765
Contents
Introduction 1
JonatShhaena r
The HardP roblem
FaciUnpgt oth e ProbloefmC onsciousness 9
DavidC].h almers
DeflatioPnearsrpye ctives
FaciBnagc kwarodnths e P roblemC oonfs ciousness 33
DaniCe.Dl e nnett
The HornswogPgrloeb lem 37
PatriScmiiatC hh urchland
Functiaonnd P henomenolColgoys:ith negE xplanrayGt aop 45
ThomaW.s Clark
The Whyo fC onsciousAn Neosns-:I sfsouMrea terialists 61
ValeGrireaH ya rdcastle
ThereI sN oH arPdr obloefmC onsciousness 69
KierOo'Hna raan dT omS cutt
ShouWled E xpetcotF eealsif W eU nderstCaonnds ciousness? 83
MarCk.P rice
The ExplanatGoarpy
ConsciousannedSs psa ce 97
ColMicnG inn
GiviUnpgo nt hHea rPdr obloefmC onsciousness 109
EugenOe.M ills
vi CONTENTS
ThereA reN oE asPyr obleomfCs o nsciousness 117
E.Lo].w e
The EasPyr obleAinm'st S oE asy 125
David Hodgson
FaciOnugr selIvnecso:r rigainbdthi el Miityn d-Body Problem 133
RichWaarrnde r
The Hardneosfts h Hea rPdr oblem 149
WillSi.Ra omb inson
Physics
The NonlocalMiityn do f 165
C.]S..C larke
ConsciEovuesn atssO rchestraStpeadc e-TSeilmeec tions 177
StuaRr.Ht a meraonffRd o gPeern rose
The HarPdr obleAm Q:u antuAmp proach 197
HenryP. Stapp
PhysiMcasc,h inaensdth e HardPr oblem 217
DouglBaisl].o deau
NeurosciaenndCc oeg nitSicviee nce
WhyN eurosciMeanycBe e Abltoe ExplaCionn sciousness 237
Francis aCnridCc hkris to! Koch
UnderstanSdUibnjge ctiGvliotbyWa:ol r kspaThceeo ry 241
andth eR esurrecotfthi eo Onb serviSnegl f
BernaJr.Bd a ars
The ElemenotfCs o nsciousannedThs esi rN eurodynamCiocrarle lates 249
BruMcaec lennan
RethinkNiantgu re
ConsciousnIensfso,r maatinodPn a npsychism 269
WillSieaagme r
RethinkiNnagt ureH:a rAPd r oblweimth ithne H arPdr oblem 287
GreHgg. R osenberg
Solutioton tsh Hea rPdr obloefmC onsciousness 301
BenjaLmiibne t
Turni'ntghH ea rPdr obleUmp's iDdoew na ndS ideways 305
PietH uta nRdo gNe rS hepard
CONTENTS vii
First-PePrseorsnp ectives
The RelatioofCn o nscioustnothe esM sa terWioarll d 325
Max Velmans
NeurophenomenAo Mleotghyo:d oloRgeimceadlfy o trh Hea rPdr oblem 337
FrancisVcaor].e la
The HarPdr obleCml:o sithneg E mpiriGcaalp 359
JonatShhaena r
Response
MovinFgo rwaorndth e ProbloefmC onsciousness 379
DavidC].h almers
JonatShhaena r
Intorductino
Int hev iewo fm oderns cientcheeu, n iveirssf eu ndamentpahlylsyi acnadle xistaendd
evolvfeodbr i llioofyn esa rwsi thoauntyc onscioupsrneesseisnn it at t a lClo.n sciousness,
ont hinso wc ommonplvaiceew i,sa verrye ceandtd itiaob ny,p rodoufct th ec omplex
chemical prtohcaegtsa sveers i steos ophistibciaotleodg oircgaaln isTmhseq. u estion
thuasr isoefhs o wc onsciouesvneecrsa sm et ob e1.F ori ti sc letahra stc iendcees cribes
thew orlpdu reilnyt ermosfs patdiiaslt ribuotfdi yonnasm ipco tenttioao lcsc upayn d
influenrceeg ioonfss pacwei,t hoaunty r eferewnhcaet soetvoet rh ec olousrosu,n ds,
feelings, antmiecainpiantgaisno,dnt sh,o ughwtist whh icohu rc onsciousinsse os s
wonderffiulllleyMd o.r eovtehre,ex perienqtuiaalli otfio eusrs ubjecatwiavree naerses
sod iffeirenkn itnfr odm tchoel ourlseosusn,d lneosns-,c onscsipoautsi o-tesmtprourca­l
turdeess cribbyet dh peh ysisccaile ntcheasit ts eemism possitboul ned ersthaonwsd u ch
experieqnutailailt cioeusle dv ebre p roducbeydt hei nteracotfip ounrse plhyy sical
systems.r aTdhiicdsai lf ferbeetnwceee tnh eq ual(eixap erieqnutailailto ifoe usr)s ub­
jective awaanrdet nheeqs usa {lrieanea tuorfen on-conscpihoyussi csayls tetmhsu s
producwehsaD ta viCdh almecrasl lisnt, h kee ynoatret iocflt eh ivso lumteh,e
'haprrdo bleomfe' x plaihnoiwna gn yp hysiscyaslt enmom, a ttheorw c omplaenxd
well-orga[nciozueldgd,i] v rei steoe xperieantac le.l . .Wh y isi tt haatl tlh is
processdionengso tg oo n' itnh dea rkw'i,t hoauntys ubjecqtuiavlei .t.yT.?h iiss
thpeh enomentohnam ta kecso nsciouasr neeasmlsy stery.
Theu nderlypirnegm iosfet he' harpdr obletmh'at,th eu nivecrasnee xiasntd u nfold
independoefnt thleeyx isteonfca,en di nteracwtiitohcn,o nsciouosfna ensyss o rwth,i le
appearcionmgm onsensiintc oadla ys'csi entwiofircl wda,s o fc ournsoet a lwaytsa ken
forg rantTehde.fi rspta ragroafpG he nesfoires x,a mplper,o clatihmasit tw asG od's
'spitrhiatet'n livetnheefd o rmle'sdse ptthosu 'n foilndt toh ec reatuendi verasnedt, h is
notiiosen c hoeidnt hseu bsequtehneto logdioccatrli ntehsai tn siGsotd 'asc tipvaer tici­
patiiosrn e quifroetrdh ce ontineuxeids teonftc heue n iverOsuet.s itdhere e alomff aith,
the pre-SoAcnraaxtaigcosar,na dsH eracliwteursfe,a moufso trh ecilra itmhsa mti ndi s
the foundoaftt hieao cnt iviotfti heesn aturwaolr ladn d' steaelrtlsh intghsr ouaglhl
thingPsl'a.at rog utehda tth vee riyn telligoiftb hiueln iitvye prrsees upptohseeex si stence
ofa p urtrea nscendeinnttale lliugnednecrel ytihnsegt ructaunrdda yln amiocradleo rft he
univerAsnede. v etnh eem piricallyA-rmiisntdoaetrdlg eu tehda ptu rpospee rmeatthees
inanimaastw ee lals t hea nimate unainvdet rhsaaet t, r anscendiennttealll igtehnec e,
UnmoveMdo ver, undaelrtllh aiece tsi viinnt ayt ure. Altthheowrueegr hae l soofc ourse
Thisi st ob ed istingufriosmht ehdqe u estoifow nh yc onsciousanroessets,h aitsw ,h aetv olution­
1
purpoistse e rves.
ary
2 J.S HEAR
materiasluicsahts Ds e mocritthuesG ,r eek fouonfdW eersst etrnh ougohpte,r atiinan g
pre-sciecnotnitfiewcxe tr,ne o mtu cho ccupiweidtt hh 'eh arpdr obleomfa' c countfionrg
consciouisnna ef susn damentpahlylsyi cal utnhiavstee resmseso d ifficutlotu st oday.
IndeeadsP, l atod'isa logrueepse atsehdolwyt, h eex isteonfmc een teanlt ituineesx plain­
ablien p hysical wteerrelm isk esliym pltyob et akeanse videnfcoert hei ndependent
existeonfmc ien dr,a thtehra ans p erplexainnogm aliinea sm aterialistic world.
Witht her isoeft hem aterialistic-vmieecwhpaonciihncatar la cteorfim sotdiecms ci­
encea,l olf t his chaonfcg oedu,r sBeu.tt hivsi ewpogianitn deodm inanocnel ayft ear
protrasctrtuegdg wliet thh eA ristotaenldin aeno -Platdoensicce ndoefnt thsea ncient
Greek viaestw hsen, o tioofnw hawte t odacya l'ls cience' deuvroiltnvhgese di xteenth
centuErayc.oh f t hesweo rldviehwasda v ery difbfaesripecan rta difgomur n derstanding
natuThree .A ristotveileiwwa,hn i chha dd ominated tdhumeri idndgla ege sr,e lioentd h e
notioofno rganaisis tms beaxspilca naitmoargyeT .h en eo-Platvoineiwtc o omk ind,
emphasizmiantgh emataincdcs re atiavcet ivaistb ya,s iTch.e m aterialist-mechanistic
viewr elioendt hen otioofnm achiunnfeosl ding autoamnadut niccoanlslcyi oTuhsel y.
materialist-mveicehwwao nnio suttoi,fcc oursBee.f otrhei hsa ppenheodw,e veerm,p iri­
caslc ienwcaesf orcteodi nternalami azjeo cro mponeonftt h nee o-Platpoenriscp ective,
newlrye introduEcuerdo pteota hno ugihntt hel atfief teenctehn tuFrryo.m o uro wn
vantapgoei nnto,t hicnogu ld smeoermen aturtaotl h eem pirisccaile ntaipfpirco atchha n
itesx tensrievlei aonncm ea thematfiocfrso rmulatthieln agw osf n atuarned e valuating
theeixrp erimesnttaatlBu ust.s, u rpriassii ntmg a ys eemt oday, fifatnedse inxtthe enth
centusrcyi entiinfivce stigaatfit rosortfs t erne sistthemeda thematiazpipnrgo aecmhp ha­
sizebdyt hen eo-PlatoFnoirns utmsb.e rs, aalngdme abtrhae matical afroeor bmvuil­as
ouslnyo tp hysical etnhteiaytr iepe usr;e lmye ntaaln dn oto bjectiovbesleyr vable.
Consequeenatrllyoy b servation-ionrvieesnttiegtdae tnodretsdo r ejetchte uisre a sa n
escafpreo tmh ree awlo rlmdo,r ea pproprtiona etoe- Platmoynsitci cainsdmm etaphysics
2
thatno h ard-boiled esmcpiiernicBceua.ttl h es ucceosfsm athematbiacsse,od n i ts
usefulbnoestishn t hef ormulaotfit ohne oarnyd i nt hea rticuloaftp iroenc isteelsyt able
predictwiaosns so,g reatth aittb ecamsee amlesisnltye grianttetodh ee volviunlgt,i ­
matelmye chanisstciice ntpiafirca digamn,dt hee arloyb jectitooin tsis n clusiino n
empirisccaile nocnet heg rounodfsi tmse ntalinsattiucbr eec amlea rgefloyr gotten.
Indeebdy,t hem id-seventceeennttuwhre yfi ndm athemateivcescn a met ob es eeans
definithneog b jectpihvyes iwcoarll idn c ontrtaost th eg eneranlolny- mathematizable
SUbjecwtoirvleod fc onsciousansfe osrsm,a lifzoeerdx ,a mplienD, e scaritnefsl'u ential
mind-boddiys tinction.
Thutsh meo derns cientwiofrilcd vireewg,a rdtihnuegn ivearssm ea teriinna alt uarned
unfoldliinkagem achiancec ordtionp gr ecimsaet,h ematiacratlilcyu llaatwagsba lien ed
ascendeanncdyb ecamteh ec onteoxftm ucho fo urW esterni ntelledcitsucaolu rse.
Neverthetlheels asr,g ely foeragrolptyut zeznal beo utth er oloeft hmea thematiintc hse
physicsacli encreesm ainaendd hcaosn tintuoed dr awt hea ttentoifoi nn fluential
3
physiciFsotrms a.themataipcpse atrobs e p aradigmatniocna-lplhyy sIitcosab lj.e cartes
2
Fora na ccouonftt hei nteracbteitowneset nh et hreaep proacihnet sh ee arldye velopmoefn t
modem sciensceee,H ughK earney,S cieanncdCe h ange: (NewY orkM:c Graw-Hill
1500-1700
BookC ompany1,9 71).
3
Seef,o re xamplEeu,g ene Wig'nTehrue,n reasoneafbeflcet iveonfem sast hematiintc hsne a tural
scienciensS 'y,mm etraineRdse fl ecti(oBnloso mingItnodni:aU nnai versPirteys1 s9, 67).
INTRODUCTION 3
charascttiecruainlilvyei rns anlai tnsu hraer,p ctootn htcero amsptlp eatret icoufal lalr ity
physeinctailat niedem sp iroibcsaelro vnasiti;tids i scovweirtehtdihr nee aolfmt hought,
noitn pthhye siwcoar;lla dndt hter uotfhi ttsh eoremasl maorset eavlawlauyast ed
4
complemteenltya,r l altyhtehrab nyo bjectsicviee nitnivfeisct iTghautasisp o hny.sics
becomperso gsrseivmeolrmyea thezmeadti,ito sbj ecotfst seene pmuz zlitnogb leyc ome
more metnhtapanhl y sical.
Thiissn oto,fc ourtsheoe,n lpyr oblweimtt hh set andmaartdae lriiwsotrd lvietwh at
hacso me taot ttehnoetfp i hoinl osoopfsh ceiresFn ocireit .os b vitohuiasnt s oafsia tr is
observations-cdiepeenancldeste onoia t ds ,e grdeeep endoentn htse u jbectiovfti htey
obsersvciinegn itnivfiecas tto.iCr gosnsequpehnitlloys,oo pfsh ceiresn ceu pwc iatmhe
the nootfii notsneujsrbe ctainvidin tyt uejbresctciovrer obotrora eotcginoitnzh reeo loef
sujbectiivnei mtpyi ricala nsodcv ieterhnl eca hesa,tcl efn turtye rntmohilioshg ayfs o nud
widespcruerardei nnsc cyi enatsi fiwace spl hli losodpihsiccoaIulhtr a sasel .sb oe come
appartehnoatuto r b serviatngi eonnesar naodlu ,sr c ieincotb isferviatnpi aorntsia cruel ar,
charascttiecr(aialnledyv eint, oiftsae rng uaeldw,a tyhse)o irmype rgnatTehdih.sa s
oftbeene tna k(eens pecbiywa rliltyae srsso cwiiatt'hep dom sotde'rt nhougthoit m)p ly
thatthn eo tioof'n oj bectiivnidteyp eonfds eujnbetc tiivssi itmypi'ln yc oh.eT roe ntthe
extetnhtat tho ibss erviacsto ierocrntt h,e noofta pi uorne plhyy siocbjaelco rtu niverse,
feref roamn ayd mixotfu rmei ndb,e caolmpseroso blteimca.
Advanicenps h ysitchspe,a radigmamtaiticeaarlldilisyst c iphlaivsneoe m,e times
seemteord e intrtohdeu cneoo ftc ioonns cioausws enleTlsh.sem osetx treexmaem pilse
thaotfq uantmuemc hcasnw,ih ertehr eo loeft h'eo bsepravrearxd'io casleleym teod
becoemses entioanllf yo knron to withndegi screte pohfne antoumbreuenet,av efno r
thevierre yx istaesdn icsec prheetneo mFeonoran .m anwye ll-kinnotwenr porneosft ati
quantmuemc haniiht cassse emedi tt hiast otfoh bes earcvtia ttsieolnf s owmheihcohw
caustehs'e colloafp stweha'ev feun cti(odne scrtihbpeir noagbb iliotfa ip easr ticle
maneisftiinnag n yp arctuillaorc attihorno ugthhoeu tu niavnedtr hsee )c onsequent
localeixziesdto eftn hcpeea rtiincq luee stTihoensi.en teertpartairooenf cs o urrsaed i­
calcloyu rnt-eintuciatliltvihenme,ga t aelriipsatr addiigrme icnttqlouy e stTihoepn r.o b­
lemisn volhveerde calreeai rlllryua stbteydS chrOd'isfna gmeorus in't chabeto x'
padroaxS.c hrOdiinnvgieutrste ocs o nsiapd heyrs iscyasltc eomn siosfat icnagt b oixn; a
untsiolm eoonbes erivtte,hse e q uatoifoq nusa ntmuemc haniimcpsl y tthihssay stt em
cabne avi anr ioefst tya -teisn clutdhionisgnwe h itchhce a itds e aadn odt heirnws h ich
iitas l i-vbeu tth iaittns o itfn ac tin a nyoonfte h esstea utnetsii tla citsu oablsleyr ved.
Conseqluyei,nt t iinsc ortrote hcittn hka tth e icsa t eialtihovererd eaudn tainl
observtahtaito nc ollqaupasnetpsur moat bbhiel iinttaipo ea sr tisctual(taiwern h icthhe
caitse itahleirov rde e atda)k pelsa Tcheu.fs o r ttihm(eea d aoyr a w eeekt,.c d)u ring
whicthhc ea rte mains uniotbn seiesir tvdheeedanr do arl idvees,p tihtfeea t ct haotn ce
thsey stiersme levantly owbislbeelar bvlteeosd a dyoe nfien ittihviaehttla ybd e eonn e
ort hoet hdeurr itnhgi s timper.o bTltheiumcsaa,tl hlseyt ,a (tien cluedvietnnhg e
locatoifoo bjne)c itns utnhiev earpspee taorb ses ignificuanndteltye rumnitnaie ld
conscaicootufo s b servatipolna Actena.dek veesan f ttehria cst tpalkaiecrstee mnasi
4
Computaesrs isetveadl uatoifpo rnoso tfosol engtthobey calculbayth eadn adr aer guabapl ayr tial
excepttioto hni gse nerraull e.
4 J.S HEAR
paradoxfiocoran le,i sc ompeltloeh do ltdh aetv etnh ougthh ce awt anse itdheaendr o r
alipvrei toorb einogb servaefdt,te hroe b servatiopnl atcoaenk ece asnb es urteh aetx actly
oneo ft hestew oa lternahtaibvdee set nhec asen,a meltyh,a itth abde eanl i(vieif tw as
aliovnet hseu bsequoebnste rvaotirto hnai)tth ando Ctl.e artlhyil so gidcialle mmtao,o ,
poseas d eeppr oblfeomro urc ommonsensmiactaelr ialistic-cmoenccheapntioisfot ni c
objectrievael ity.
Ita lsdoe monstrastiegsn ifiicnaandte quaicnoi uersn otioofnc onsciousFnoeras ns .
obvioruesj ointdote hre' caitnt hbeo xp'a radiostx h atth ce asth oul'dk nowi'fi tw ere
alivFeo.rt hec atw,h enc onsciowuosu,lo dft enb eo bserviitnesgn vironmaenndtt h,e
specifiocfii ttyps e rceptwioounlsd impltyh weta hvaeft u nctihoandas l reacdoyl lapsed
priotroo uro wn( human) obserBvuattc ioounlasd c. atc'osns ciouscnaeusstseh e
collaopfst eh ew avef unctiWoonu?l di tosbs ervatbiero enlse vtaont th ef ormaliosfm s
quantumme chaniWcosu?l d tphreoyv itdheer elev'ainntf ormaotri' oknn'o wledIgfe '?
notw,h yn otA?n di fa c ata'wsa reness dcoto huilsd, whatth aoatfba onua tm oebaF?o r
amoebas clearliyn fdoirsmpaltaiyo nb-edhraivviOeornri .sa na moebnao tc onsciaotu s
allor,n otr elevainntfloyr mation-reAsgpaoininsf,ni ovtwe,h? y n otA?r et hedrief ferent
typesof c onsciousannedos nsl,sy o meo ft hesree levtaoqn uta ntum-mechcaonlilcaapls e?
Ifs ow,h aatr et hewyh,a atr et hediirs tindcitfifveer eanncdhe osw,d ot hesdei fferences
relattote h ed ynamiocfsq uantumme chanical prIoncs ehsosrteths,e'? c aitnt heb ox'
paradoixna, d dittiooh ni ghligthhtpeiu nzgz olfeo bservationq-udarnitvumemen c hani­
cal' collaapnsdet 'h ep aradoofxs tatseism ultaneeoxuissltyi ng-and-noatl-seox isting,
suggetshtasst u cpha radigmaaltlmiyec n tal phenaos'm cenoan scious'nkensosw'l,ed ge'
and' informanteieotdno b' e a nalysweidtm hu chf indeirs criminbaetfiotorhnee riorl es
in- ando verarlell attio-o np hysical scyasnbt eep mrso peurnldye rstood.
Thusa,ft etrh recee nturoifde osm inantchees, t andmaartde riaplairsatd ihgamsb een
forcbeyda dvancienqs u antmuemc hantiocw sr estolnec aeg aiwni twhh aatp peatrobs e
a majoarn omaltyh:en atuarned r oloef c onsciousinnpe hsyss iscyaslt eTmhse.e mer­
gencoeft h'e haprrdo bleomfc' o nsciouisnntetosh sfe o refroofpn hti losopdhiisccaolu rse
canb eu nderstaosop da rotf t hirse examinaptrioocneH sosw., i na basicamlaltye rial
univerasreew, e t ou ndersteavnedtn h eb areex istoefcn ocnesc iousHnoews cso?u lidt
evehra veem erged?
We shoulredm inodu rselhvoewse,v etrh,aa tl ternattiovt ehsem ateripaelrisspte ctive
havoef c ourbseee dne veloapneddd efendtehdr oughtohueht i stoorfmy o dernW estern
philosoDpehsyc.a rdteusa'l isspml tihtue n iveirnsteto w od istiinncdte,p entdyepneotsf
'substacnocmep'r,i sriensgp,e ctitvheeml ayt,h ematically-doebsjcercitpbihavybesl ie­
S
cal-sparteiaalslmt udibeyds ciencaen,dt hes ubjectsipvier itrueaallom f m indo r
6
consciouspnreospse,tr hledyo maionfr eligiSopni.noszpal tihteu niveirnsteto h sea me
twor ealmbsu,ta rgumeod nisatliltcyh at they waetrter ibbooufatt fh eu sr thuenrd,e rlying
substaLnecei.b ndietvze loap e'dp anpsychic'o fp trhee-osrpya tio-mtoenmapdoisrn a l
whicehv ertyh inngo,m attehorw m erelpyh ysicaandln onconsciitom uisg ht seem,
S
Descartweosr'ki nt his areoaf c owuars,sa em ,a jofra ctiontr h dee velopmoeftn htne o ws tandard
materialistic-mpeacrhaadniigsmt.i c
Indeetdh,ve e rfya ctth atth e' harpdr oblesme'e msso h artdo daiyso ftenh eltdob et hlee gaocfy
6
Descartdeusa'l iasnmd,t hper oblietms ieslo ff tefno rmulaitnte edr mosft hdei fficulotfry e connect­
ingc ausaalnldyo ntologiwchaalDtle ys carstoef so rcefully divided.