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spectrum of consciousness
I just thought that I would clarify myself of what I was trying to say in class the other day...
I think that there is always the I-function, but there is a spectrum of consciousness which directly varies along with our memory. Basically, there are moments in the spectrum of consciousness where you can simply forget what you do. That does not mean that the I-function was turned off...You are still telling yourself to do things, it's just that you cannot remember yourself telling yourself to do so.
For example, you are asleep at wee hours in the morning and your alarm clock goes off...And without remembering it, you shut it off and go back to sleep. A couple hours later, you are kicking yourself for sleeping in. Here, early in the morning, your I-function wants you to sleep more, thus you shut off your alarm clock, but the position in the spectrum of consciousness is probably...superLOW. Thus, you don't remember and kick yourself numerous times...
There can also be situations when the substance that "soaks your channels" can effect your position of stance in the spectrum of consciousness.
If you are intoxicated or blazed or influenced by any other creative chemical...You do things and do not remember it. Or you do things and simply do not care at the moment. Here, you are still doing things, thus there is an I-function. Later on, when your "channels are no longer soaking in creative chemicals", you either do not remember, or you remember and are kicking yourself again for what you have done.
Consciousness is a spectrum not only from right to left, I think it is variable in all directions. It can be influenced by different parameters. But the fact that we are capable of doing many things shows that the I-function exists always. It just depends on whether we remember it or not.
Black outs, and gray outs are also an example. Those who have superLOW consciousness blackout. Those who have fairly low consciousness have gray-outs. Those who are attentive remember everything. Some people can spaceout and selectively remember.
I hope this clarifies what I'm trying to say...:-D.