Does integrated information theory make testable predictions about the role of silent neurons in consciousness?
Neuroscience of Consciousness January 1, 2022 Gary Bartlett
Tononi et al.'s integrated information theory of consciousness claims that conscious experiences are generated by both active and inactive neurons, leading to two startling predictions: disabling already inactive neurons can alter a subject's conscious experience, and a subject with a completely silent brain (all neurons inactive but not disabled) can still have a conscious experience. This article argues that neither prediction is testable. After clarifying the distinction between active, inactive (silent), and inactivated (disabled) neurons, the author shows that even ignoring practical difficulties, any test would be set up under conditions where a subject's response could not reasonably be interpreted as evidence of consciousness or a change in consciousness.