Ellis, I can empathise regarding the distress. My father underwent a similar process. Most commonly, memory for recent events becomes very poor, whereas events from one's earlier life can be recalled in detail. For your mother, the important thing is, of course, that she is able find enjoyment in the present. If she has the faculties to do so, then evidently her "subjective aspect of experience" is intact.
By "subjective aspect of experience", I take Professor Pinker to mean "the phenomena of awareness", including our emotional status, our perceptions arising from the senses and so on, rather than the coincident physics and chemistry.
Here's a possible analogy to think about (maybe you can think of a better one):
Q. What is consciousness?
A. It's the chemistry and physics of the brain.
is similar to
Q. What is light?
A. It's the chemistry and physics of a battery, a piece of wire and a filament.
Last edited by redewenur; 03/11/07 08:46 AM.
