Editing Implicate and explicate order (section)

=== A common grounding for consciousness and matter ===
[[Image:Hersenen.png|thumb|upright=0.6|[[Karl H. Pribram]]'s research suggests that memories may not be localized in specific regions of brains]]

The implicate order represents the proposal of a general [[metaphysics|metaphysical]] concept in terms of which it is claimed that [[matter]] and [[consciousness]] might both be understood, in the sense that it is proposed that both matter and consciousness: (i) enfold the structure of the whole within each region, and (ii) involve continuous processes of enfoldment and unfoldment.  For example, in the case of matter, entities such as atoms may represent continuous enfoldment and unfoldment which manifests as a relatively stable and autonomous entity that can be observed to follow a relatively well-defined path in spacetime.  In the case of consciousness, Bohm pointed toward evidence presented by [[Karl H. Pribram|Karl Pribram]] that [[memories]] may be enfolded within every region of the [[brain]] rather than being localized (for example, in particular regions of the brain, cells, or atoms).

Bohm went on to say: <blockquote>As in our discussion of matter in general, it is now necessary to go into the question of how in consciousness the explicate order is what is manifest ... the manifest content of consciousness is based essentially on memory, which is what allows such content to be held in a fairly constant form.  Of course, to make possible such constancy it is also necessary that this content be organized, not only through relatively fixed association but also with the aid of the rules of logic, and of our basic categories of space, time, causality, universality, etc. ... there will be a strong background of recurrent, stable, and separable features, against which the transitory and changing aspects of the unbroken flow of experience will be seen as fleeting impressions that tend to be arranged and ordered mainly in terms of the vast totality of the relatively static and fragmented content of [memories].<ref>{{harvnb|Bohm|1980|p=205}}</ref></blockquote>

Bohm also claimed that "as with consciousness, each moment has a certain explicate order, and in addition it enfolds all the others, though in its own way.  So the relationship of each moment in the whole to all the others is implied by its total content: the way in which it 'holds' all the others enfolded within it." Bohm characterises consciousness as a process in which at each moment, content that was previously implicate is presently explicate, and content which was previously explicate has become implicate.

<blockquote>One may indeed say that our memory is a special case of the process described above, for all that is recorded is held enfolded within the brain cells and these are part of matter in general.  The recurrence and stability of our own memory as a relatively independent sub-totality is thus brought about as part of the very same process that sustains the recurrence and stability in the manifest order of matter in general.  It follows, then, that the explicate and manifest order of consciousness is not ultimately distinct from that of matter in general.<ref>{{harvnb|Bohm|1980|p=208}}</ref></blockquote>