"Thus, temporal context is critical for perception, including the perception of causation. The brain “chunks” or segre- gates perceived events according to its ability to package information in time, and such packaging, I propose, can be achieved by neuronal oscillators (Cycles 9 and 11). 
Here is another illustration of a “logical illusion” in which the brain falsely re- constructs the order of events. You are driving on a highway and a deer crosses the road. You slam on the brakes and avoid a collision. The mental reconstruction of the events is as follows. You noticed a deer (cause) and realized that it would be dangerous to hit the animal. So you decide to avoid it, push the brakes, and turn the steering wheel (effects). Laboratory replication of such real-world actions offers a different explanation. A deer appeared (first event), you braked (second event), and then you recognize the animal (third event). This sequence is proposed because reaction time to an unexpected event is less than half a second, whereas conscious recognition requires the recruitment of a large number of neurons in a large, distributed complex brain circuit, which takes longer than half a second.17 The false logic emerges from the difference between external time and brain- reconstructed time."
Rhythms of the Brain page 10

The brain's ability to perceive time is a process that extremely inherent to human existence, but so rarely understood in its full capacity. It is a process related to prediction, inference, forecast, and deduction in regard to calculating outcomes based on past knowledge. Time is recorded in the brain in order to aid in survival of human beings by learning from the past, and predicting potential danger or success. However, it is easy to apply causal relationships to situations that have discrepancies between external time and subjective time registered in the brain, as described in the quote above. This circumstance raises questions in regard to registering time through the accumulation of past experiences rather than the actual series of events. Additionally, in situations with multiple causes, how can a single source be identified? Many events occur in neuronal oscillations as numerous parts of constantly changing parts, making it impossible to decipher the actual causes. The brain's chunking mechanisms would fail in these circumstances, but are there ways for humans to train their minds to avoid these pitfalls? Could knowledge of the common mistakes in perception allow humans to avoid lapses in judgement in regard to time? Or is the brain essentially an organ that will function to recollect time in the same way? Also, could these lapses in the judgement of elapsed time be related to memory, such as the flaws of memory studied by Proust? The brain's complexity and mystery has been studied for ages, and will continue to be studied for centuries to come.

I have been researching for my paper and have found a few sources such as Unnatural Affections: Women and Fiction in the Later 18th Century by George E. Haggerty that have given me additional information about the 18th century. However, I am having trouble deciding on a thesis because of the numerous ways that I could approach Fantomina and gender roles in relation to the emotions curiosity and desire. I was thinking of focusing on desire alone and contrasting Fantomina's with Beauplaisir's, but I currently do not have enough critical sources in order to support my theories. I am thinking that I should set up a time to discuss this over office hours as soon as possible.

"Most of us unthinkingly regard it as a given: consciousness is what makes us what we are, what makes us human. It just happens. But cognitive scientists are aware that many organisms survive perfectly well without consciousness in the human, self-conscious sense, and so they ask, What is consciousness for? I am sure that this would strike most of us as a very odd question. However, you will be relieved to hear that the answer is a positive one. For example, the neuroscientist Antonio Damasio's answer to the question is that the 'devices of consciousness handle the problem of how an individual organism may cope with environmental challenges not predicted in its basic design such that the conditions fundamental for survival can still be met.'"

The Whole Mind page 89