<p>There are a number of spiritual practices that practice self-awareness and continuous awareness of one's thoughts and actions (for example the teachings of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eckhart_Tolle#Teachings" rel="nofollow">Ekhart Tolle</a>):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Tolle writes that "the most significant thing that can happen to a
  human being [is] the <strong>separation process of thinking and awareness</strong>" and
  that awareness is "the space in which thoughts exist".</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There are also a number of techniques employed by people who practice lucid dreaming - namely reality checks and being aware of one's thoughts and surroundings. Lucid dreamers expect that this kind of awareness would carry over into the dream experience and help achieve lucid dreaming.</p>

<p>Both have a common goal - to create some kind of a meta-awareness, or a watchdog awareness, similar to a background process on a computer. A watchdog task on a computer can wake the computer up if some other process has hanged, or some other task is taking up too much resources.</p>

<p>My question is - <strong>Does modern science (2015) have evidence to support that human brain is capable of running the "background process" kind of meta awareness of one's thoughts and actions for extended period of time"?</strong> </p>

<p>My question about ordinary daily activities - can this kind of background awareness process be running all the time, regardless of activity performed?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-29T19:38:33.020Z
What would be an example of a hypothetical study that counted as evidence for this kind of process?
Josh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-29T19:42:02.480Z
While I cant remember names off the top of my head, I'm aware of studies of meditating subjects that showed changes in brainwave patterns. fMRI studies are also pretty good at detecting different brain activity. I'm aware of fMRI studies of subjects "in love" versus controls that showed activations of different brain regions.   Are there studies of "continuously aware" people?
Alex Stone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-30T08:10:02.003Z
Mindfulness was looking like it was doing well in the noughts, but since the replication crisis started, the construct has been taking a real beating, IIRC. Should've asked in 2010. :)
Christian Hummeluhr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-30T08:12:08.063Z
There's always incubation, which I think is safe? Who knows lately, though. I barely trust anything published before 2010 anymore, and I don't particularly trust the rest, either.
Christian Hummeluhr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-30T15:18:27.007Z
@ChristianHummeluhr Do you have a link that explains what the replication crisis is? I'm aware of the incubation, although that seems to me like it's a process that takes place outside of conscious awareness.
Alex Stone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-30T15:53:21.743Z
It's a complex issue and the dust isn't even finished being kicked up, let alone settling. [DataColada](http://datacolada.org/2013/09/17/just_posting_it_works/) by Uri Simonsohn is as good a place to start as any, since he arguably tipped the first domino and has done a lot of work on it. There's about 40 posts to read.
Christian Hummeluhr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-01T15:15:35.903Z
I think the best place to start would be to try to understand the differences between male and female brains. Since there's very little on this, you'd get even less about what you are asking about...
Andrewski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-26T18:04:02.840Z
Thanks, the default mode network looks like a very promising candidate to start the search for meta awareness.
Alex Stone
<perception><consciousness><dreams><unconscious><awareness>
Is continuous split or meta - awareness a scientifically supported concept?
Alex Stone
# Is continuous split or meta - awareness a scientifically supported concept?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-06-29)

There are a number of spiritual practices that practice self-awareness and continuous awareness of one's thoughts and actions (for example the teachings of [Ekhart Tolle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eckhart_Tolle#Teachings)):

> Tolle writes that "the most significant thing that can happen to a
> human being [is] the **separation process of thinking and awareness**" and
> that awareness is "the space in which thoughts exist".

There are also a number of techniques employed by people who practice lucid dreaming - namely reality checks and being aware of one's thoughts and surroundings. Lucid dreamers expect that this kind of awareness would carry over into the dream experience and help achieve lucid dreaming.

Both have a common goal - to create some kind of a meta-awareness, or a watchdog awareness, similar to a background process on a computer. A watchdog task on a computer can wake the computer up if some other process has hanged, or some other task is taking up too much resources.

My question is - **Does modern science (2015) have evidence to support that human brain is capable of running the "background process" kind of meta awareness of one's thoughts and actions for extended period of time"?**

My question about ordinary daily activities - can this kind of background awareness process be running all the time, regardless of activity performed?

**Tags:** perception, consciousness, dreams, unconscious, awareness

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What would be an example of a hypothetical study that counted as evidence for this kind of process?  
> **username_0**: While I cant remember names off the top of my head, I'm aware of studies of meditating subjects that showed changes in brainwave patterns. fMRI studies are also pretty good at detecting different brain activity. I'm aware of fMRI studies of subjects "in love" versus controls that showed activations of different brain regions.   Are there studies of "continuously aware" people?  
> **username_2**: Mindfulness was looking like it was doing well in the noughts, but since the replication crisis started, the construct has been taking a real beating, IIRC. Should've asked in 2010. :)  
> **username_2**: There's always incubation, which I think is safe? Who knows lately, though. I barely trust anything published before 2010 anymore, and I don't particularly trust the rest, either.  
> **username_0**: @ChristianHummeluhr Do you have a link that explains what the replication crisis is? I'm aware of the incubation, although that seems to me like it's a process that takes place outside of conscious awareness.  
> **username_2**: It's a complex issue and the dust isn't even finished being kicked up, let alone settling. [DataColada](http://datacolada.org/2013/09/17/just_posting_it_works/) by Uri Simonsohn is as good a place to start as any, since he arguably tipped the first domino and has done a lot of work on it. There's about 40 posts to read.  
> **username_3**: I think the best place to start would be to try to understand the differences between male and female brains. Since there's very little on this, you'd get even less about what you are asking about...  
> **username_0**: Thanks, the default mode network looks like a very promising candidate to start the search for meta awareness.  

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## 0 answers

