Neural correlates of consciousness and the nature of the mind
Consciousness and the Ontology of Properties January 1, 2018
Neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) are often taken as strong evidence for physicalism, the view that the mind is entirely physical. This chapter argues that NCC are neutral between physicalism and dualism. It clarifies what NCC are and how neuroscientists identify them, then explains that concluding physicalism from NCC requires additional philosophical argumentation, not just neuroscientific data. The simplicity argument for physicalism that appeals to NCC is presented, analyzed, and found wanting, meaning it does not successfully support physicalism over dualism.