Comparison of the Actual Theories of Consciousness: Back to the Hard Problem
Общество философия история культура December 17, 2025 Alexander I. Muss, Anastasia V. Sladkoshtieva, Andrey V. Chukanov et al.
Comparing theories of consciousness from different fields is challenging. This article argues that the best criterion for comparison is not a list of interconnected questions but how directly a theory addresses the Hard Problem of Consciousness—how the brain generates subjective experience. Using this criterion, 20 theories of consciousness developed since the 1960s were examined. Only some theories actually answer the Hard Problem, and this often conflicts with the authors' own views. The approach excludes theories that deny the importance of either the brain or subjective experience. Better criteria for comparing consciousness theories will require a more precise evaluation system tied to the original problem.