Originally posted by BigGiRL:[..]
Right, a true expert would be able to explain his or her subject in common plain language, as well as in academic terms (of course).
Synaesthesia, or "the mixing of sensory input" (like literally tasting colors, or seeing sound) is a very rare condition. Rather a curse, than a blessing if you ask me.
Epiphenomenalism is heavy "Philosophy of Mind" stuff. In short, the idea that the mind is a complete by-product (epí-phenomenon) of the body (with all it's neuro processes in the brain).
The mind as complete epi-phenomenon is, however, a contested idea. For instance with regard to "free will" - or, as some would have it, the phenomenon of free will. And, ultimately, whether there is such a thing as Freedom besides Nature.
Nature opperates according to (physical) laws, while Freedom, as the word already suggests, is not governed by any law at all.
Funny enough the Universe seems to be a combination of both according to Quantum Mechanics: there are simply no "observer free" natural phenomena - not even in theory (because "theory" is also a product of the mind/observer).
Then to say that every observer (i.e. "mind") is actually a by-product of the physical realm (as the epi-guys do!), is ignoring the basic principle of Quantum Physics. It's like, as the English say, eating your cake and having it too!
I mean, if Quantum Theory basically says "it takes two to tango," you can not hold that the other is in fact yourself. It would be the same as liberating yourself out of the swamp by pulling your own hair...
(Great Sunday morning read, not? - or should I say "right?", as modern speech guru's would like us to do...)