The biological function of consciousness
Frontiers in Psychology August 5, 2014 Brian Earl 119 citations
Consciousness does not play an active, executive role in determining behavior, contrary to intuitive understanding. Instead, it serves a biological function as input data to a flexible response mechanism (FRM) for decision-making, planning, and nonautomatic responses. The FRM requires task-relevant information, and consciousness provides this through a qualia array of colors, sounds, and other qualitative and quantitative details. When important information is missing from consciousness, the FRM's functions are impaired. This view explains why we have experiences and feelings, why their loss leads to poor decision-making, why blindsight patients do not spontaneously respond to blind-field events, why counter-habitual actions require the intended action in mind, and the reason for inattentional blindness.