The Nonrelational Higher-Order Theory of Consciousness Defended
American Philosophical Quarterly July 1, 2026 J. Berger, Joseph Gottlieb
According to higher-order (“HO”) theories, consciousness consists in HO awareness of being in mental states. While many objections to such theories have been addressed elsewhere, the most well-known seems to remain: the problem of so-called “empty” HO states, which holds that HO theory cannot explain cases wherein one is aware of mental states that do not exist. This paper offers a novel...