Ng Tai-Kee

South China Normal - Univ.

Guangzhou, (p. R. China)

Static and Dynamic Structure of Consciousness in Psychology

Abstract
From the fundamental concepts of existence, entity, subject, and object, the author, using
mathematics and wave mechanics, shows two figures of static and dynamic structure of
consciousness, and further deduces from them, and explain some psycho/ogical concepts and
phenomena.
Resumo

o autor mostra, a partir dos conceitos fundamentais de existncia, entidade, sujeito e objecto
e com recurso matemtica e mecnica ondulatria, duas figuras da estrutura esttica e
dinmica da conscincia, deduzindo depois dessas figuras alguns conceitos e fenmenos
psicolgicos, que explana.
1. Static Structure

of Consciousness

In my paper, Existence and Types of Consciousness, published in the abstracts of VIII

International Congress of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, volume 5, part
2, sections 7-11, pages 319-321, in Moscow, 1987, by Soviet Organizing Committee, I
had shown a static structure of consciousness as a prism. I defined three dimensions of
intellect, emotion and volition and separately gave the definitions of sense, thinking,
feelings, sentiment, motive and determination. i.e.:
sense - intellectual sensibility;
thinking - intellectual rationality;
feelings - emotional sensibility;
sentiment - emotional rationality;
motive - volitional sensibility;
determination - volitional rationality.
Sensibility is supposed to be the abilities of a man sense-organs and rationality is lhe
ability of the brain of a man - subject. It may be expressed as follow:

TI & Sociedade /IT & Society, Simpsio Internacional de Lisboa / Lisbon International Symposium, 1989,2141219
1992, APDC & SPF, Lisboa

TI & Sociedade / IT & Society

consciousness

r-_ ...

-----"'r-

experience

-........._-.....

SUBJECT

'----~

\~

_--,

inner-experience

--------"-

"'--...

sense

OBJECT

+----

215

thinking

, !

sensibility

~ rationality

--------""-~
/,'"
--

feelings

..

--S_;
"
dcterminatii! -- _ _ _
"
sentiment

2. Memory and Intuition

From the above theory, we can define memory and intuition in psychology.
When object relates to subject, and so relates to sensibiJity and rationality of a man, the
relation between object and sensibility constructs an experience, the relation between
sensibility and rationality constructs an inner-experience, and the experience and innerexperience construct the man's consciousness. With the construction of experience and
inner-experience i.e. the man's consciousness, there must be traces left in his nervous
organization simultaneously, no matter how short-term or long-term, weak or strong,
discontinuous or continuous, or generalizing gradually and vanishing at last they are. It is
the traces-saving that let our rationality code, retrieve and compare for recognition, or
associate and reconstruct chunking, clustering or reverberating circuit for recall. Recognition and recall are what we name memory.
As consciousness has three dimensions of intellect, emotion and volition, and memory
is crossed consciousness, so memory must have three dimension of intellect, emotion and
volition as well, i.e.:
intellectuaJ memory;
emotional memory;
volitional memory.
As to intuition, I agree with Professor H.A.Simon's view. He defines intuition as the
memory at a moment; but possibly, more exactJy as the occasional memory at a moment,
because intuition is different from sensory memory aJthough this one is the memory at a
moment too. The very weak, light or quickly vanishing traces are easily forgetten, even
can't be coded; but on some appropriate conditions they may be reinforced at a moment
and so occasionaJly can be coded, retrieved or associated, reconstructed for occasionaJ
recognition or recall at a moment, namely for an occasional memory at a moment. This is
what we call intuition.
As consciousness has three dimensions, memory is crossed consciousness and of
course, intuition is crossed conscousness also, so intuition must have three dimensions,
i.e.:
intellectuaJ intuition - insight;
emotionaJ intuition - inspiration;
voJitional intuition - impulsiono

216

Static and Dynamic Structure of Consciousness

3. Dynamic Structure

of Consciousness

Using wave mechanics, we can get a dynamic structure of consciousness.

Let 'I' v, 'I' e, 'I' i be the wave functions of three dimensions of volition, emotion and
intellect separately, then the sum of these three wave functions is just the whole man's
consciousness. Supposing <I>vei is the whole consciousness, then

'I' k

Cl> vei ;

k=l

i.e. <I>vei
'I' v A 'I' e A 'I' i.
Obviously, <I>vei is a wave function too. But we have to know:
First, the set of defining wave function <I>vei values is a finite set, because the distance
between sensibility and rationality can't be O and
too. If it is zero, sensibility and
rationality are in one and the man is not different from an animal, and if it is infinity,
rationality is apart from sensibility and the man has become quite a God, which are both
impossible.
Secondly, in the wave function <I>vei there maybe or not a phase difference of its
component wave functions of'l' v, 'I' e and 'I' i. It is said, when the relation between object
and sensibility constructs experience and the relation between sensibility and rationality
constructs inner-experience, stimulation makes oscillators of sensibility vibrate and travel
to rationality along three dimensions possibly in same step or not in same step. ln same step
are the three component wave functions of 'I' v, 'I' e and 'I' i started on same time and not
in same step are not started on same time and is having a phase difference.
Thirdly, not only there may be a phase difference of'l' v, 'I' e and 'I' i in the resultant
wave function <I>vei but the amplitude, frequency, period and phase-velocity of these three
component functions may be, or even we may say, must be different also because heredity,
physiological factor especially, trace and traces-saving will give them a different influence
separately.
Fourthly, trace has one, two or three dimensions of volition, emotion and intellect also.
So, it can interrup all coming waves with its correspondent dimension separately to increase
or decrease, reflect or refract them not only of amplitude, frequency, period, but of phasevelocity. In our nervous system there is a lot of trace and traces-saving, and of course, the
wave function 'I' v of volition, the wave function 'I' e of emotion and the wave function
'I' i of intellect are more complexo They may be harmonic or non-harmonic, periodic or
aperiodic, forced or damped, divergent or convergent.
Fifthly, wave has peak and valley. Putting wave in an Euclidean space of three
dimensions x, y and z, sensibility in the original point O and the distance between sensibility
and rationality in x axis extensive to rationality, then amplitude of wave has two values of
opposite sign, positive to peak and negative to valley. However, in the discrimination and
appreciation of rationality there is a different meaning about these two values. In
component wave function 'I' v of volition, positive appears goodness and negative appears
evil; in 'I' e of emotion, positive, beauty and negative, ugliness; in 'I' i of intellect, positive,
truth and negative, falseness. Man is always towards truth, beauty and goodness.
These may be expressed as follow:
00

TI & Sociedade / IT & Society

consciousness

,...--",/
DBJECf

experience

'------,

217

SUBJECf

1
inner-expcrience

r------_...--'-

'-,-------""

.--

4. Attention and Imagination

From the above dynamic structure of consciousness we can define attention and
imagination in psychology.
In wave mechanics, as we have seen, when waves overlap, two cases will appear, one
of that is superposition, the other is interference. Superposition has a resultant wave and its
amplitude is a vector sum of all component amplitude vectors. In consciousness, when
object relates to subject, stimulation makes oscillators of sensibility vibrate and traveI along
three dimensions to rationality and travelling waves have met traces in the way. If the
waves of one, two or three component wave functions 'I' v, 'I' e and 'I' i have overlapped
in some positions, there must appear superpositions or resultant waves of superpositions.
And if one of resultant waves has a largest positive amplitude vector of all other resultant
vectors, this resultant wave will be an irrational or unconscious attention, in which the peak
of wave is the center of unconscious attention, the domain of wave is the region of
unconscious attention and the boundary of domain is the edge of unconscious attention.
When the resultant wave with a largest positive amplitude vector is transferred to other
position, the center, region and edge of unconscious attention are transferred to other
object.
Obviously, unconscious or irrational attention is based on the process of sensibility to
rationality or, as the psychologists name, "bottom-up"
processo However, on the other
hand, I agree with a view of modern philosophers of science, there is another process of
rationality to sensibility, namely, "top-down"
process as psychologists call it.
As we know, the set of defining wave function cI> vei values is a finite set, so it is a
closed set. As a closed set there is stored energy in its system and under boundary
conditions energy is released and makes oscillators of rationality vibrate and travel along
three dimensions to sensibility. They also meet many traces in the way. This is the process
of rationality to sensibility. Similarly, when the waves of 'I' v, 'I' e, 'I' i overlap, there
appears a resultant wave with a largest positive amplitude vector. This is a rational or
conscious attention, in which the peak, the domain and the boundary of domain of wave
separately are the center, the region and the edge of conscious attention. And if the resultant
wave with a largest positive amplitude vector consciously or rationally transfers to other
position, the center, region and the edge of conscious attention transfers to others also.
Conscious or rational attention and unconscious or irrational attention are both
attention.
As the resultant wave with a largest positive amplitude vector may appear in one, two

218

Static and Dynamic Structure of Consciousness

and three dimensions, so we can roughly divide attention into:

intellectual attention;
emotional attention;
volitional attention.
As to imagination, as it is lesser related to process of sensibility to rationality, it must
mainly come from process of rationality to sensibility, or more correctly, mainly come from
conscious attention and be different from conscious attention. The difference between them
is whether the weak, light or quickly vanishing traces have been reinforced.
When boundary conditions of the resultant wave function <l> vei have been satisfied,
stored energy is released and not only makes oscillators of rationality vibrate and traveI to
sensibility along three dimensions but also reinforces the very weak, light and quickly
vanishing traces and enlarges traces-saving so much as to be able to be more coded, more
retrieved for reappearance, or more associated, more reconstructed into new chunking, new
clustering or new reverberating circuit for creativeness including illusion although the
travelling waves of three dimensions will meet more traces in the way too. This is
imagination, and reappearance and creativeness are ali made of imagination. If waves of 'l'
v, 'l' e, 'l' i overlap, a resultant wave with a largest positive amplitude vector appears, the
peak, domain and boundary of domain of that are separately the center, region and edge
of imagination as well. Imagination is different from intuition although both of them
reinforce the very weak, light or quickly vanishing traces all but imagination is based on
the process of rationality to sensibility and intuition is based on the process of sensibility
to rationality. Moreover, imagination is related with dynamic analysis and intuition is at a
moment.
Similarly, we can roughly divide imagination into:
intellectual imagination;
emotional imagination;
volitional imagination.
About dream, a word I want to say is that the quickly vanishing traces and the vanished
ones are not really dead for all. A great deal of them is only sub-trace, not subconsciousness which I don't like, because Freud put it in a ground of consciousness
opposite to our view of consciousness as a whole. It is sub-trace when certain surroundings
and boundary conditions are satisfied that may be awaked and be coded, retrieved,
associated, and reconstructed as well. I think that this is fundamental on dream. Clearly,
dream is based on the process of rationality to sensibility.

5. Ability, Temperament

and Character

Person has three parts: ability, temperament and character and we can put them in the
dynamic structure of consciousness also.
As we have seen, trace has three dimensions and they can separately influence the
waves of three component wave functions of 'l' v, 'l' e and 'l' i. But through repetition for
a long time the traces would be deep and fixed, or even connected with each other as a link
to coming waves often giving influence in one mode. It is just what we call habit in
psychology.
From this we can theoretically say:
when the waves of two component functions of'l' i and 'l' v meet traces with two fixed
dimensions or fixed links of intellect and volition they often give waves the same
influences as one mode so that consciousness has a habit in two dimensions of intellect and

TI & Sociedade / IT & Society

219

volition. It is calJed person's abiJity.

Similarly, when the waves of two component wave functions of 't' v and 't' e meet
traces with two fixed dimensions or fixes links of volition and emotion they often give
waves the same influences as one mode so that consciousness has a habit in two dimensions
of volition and emotion. It is calJed person's temperament.
And when the waves of two component wave functions of 't' e and 't' i meet traces
with two fixed dimensions or fixed links of emotion and intelJect they often give waves the
same influences as one mode so that consciousness has a habit in two dimensions of
emotion and intelJect. It is caIled person's character.
And a man's person just consists of ability, temperament and character.

TECNOLOGIAS

& SOCIEDADE

DA INFORMAO
TEORIA

INFORMATION

USOS IMPACTOS

& SOCIETY

TECHNOLOGY

THEORY . USES IMPACTS

Organizado por / Edited by

Joo Lopes Alves

ACTAS DO SIMPSIO INTERNACIONAL

SIGNIFICAO

E CONHECIMENTO

SOBRE COMUNICAO,
FACE S TECNOLOGIAS DA INFORMAO

PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON COMMUNICA TION,

MEANING, AND KNOWLEDGE FACING TIIE INFORMA TION TECHNOLOGY

Lisboa, 13-15 Setembro, 1989

Lisbon, September 13-15, 1989

APDe

SPF

associao portuguesa
para o desenvolvimento
das comunicaes

sociedade portuguesa
de filosofia