Speed of consciousness results: Implications for conscious agency and free will.
Behav Brain Sci June 25, 2026 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x25102963 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the slowness of consciousness, paired with its role in marking a predictive world model, supports a view of conscious agency engaged with the unfolding world. |
Abstract
Abstract Speed of consciousness results may contribute to the popular notion that our consciousness is inefficacious. I argue that Fleming and Michel’s claim that consciousness is slow, coupled with their idea that consciousness marks a predictive world model, instead supports a view of agency in which we are consciously engaged with the world as it unfolds, both in perception and response.