Expanding the discussion: Revision of the fundamental assumptions framing the study of the neural correlates of consciousness.
Daniel Revach, Moti Salti
Consciousness and Cognition November 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2021.103229 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Assumptions Awareness Cognition Consciousness Mechanism Neurobiological Premises Unconscious perception |
| Key points | Argues that removing assumptions of sequential and passive conscious perception can resolve major debates in the field and suggests consciousness is a dynamic, dispersed process. |
Abstract
The way one asks a question is shaped by a-priori assumptions and constrains the range of possible answers. We identify and test the assumptions underlying contemporary debates, models, and methodology in the study of the neural correlates of consciousness, which was framed by Crick and Koch's seminal paper (1990). These premises create a sequential and passive conception of conscious perception: it is considered the product of resolved information processing by unconscious mechanisms, produced by a singular event in time and place representing the moment of entry. The conscious percept produced is then automatically retained to be utilized by post-conscious mechanisms. Major debates in the field, such as concern the moment of entry, the all-or-none vs graded nature, and report vs no-report paradigms, are driven by the consensus on these assumptions. We show how removing these assumptions can resolve some of the debates and challenges and prompt additional questions. The potential non-sequential nature of perception suggests new ways of thinking about consciousness as a dynamic and dispersed process, and in turn about the relationship between conscious and unconscious perception. Moreover, it allows us to present a parsimonious account for conscious perception while addressing more aspects of the phenomenon.
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Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Are we really unconscious in "unconscious" states? Common assumptions revisited. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2022
- The Idiosyncrasy Principle: A New Look at Qualia. Perspectives on Psychological Science November 1, 2022
- From brain-body function to conscious interactions. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews October 2022
- Consciousness as the Temporal Propagation of Information. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience 2022
Cites 50
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- An information integration theory of consciousness BMC Neuroscience November 2, 2004
- Neural correlates of consciousness: progress and problems Nature Reviews Neuroscience April 20, 2016
- Consciousness as Integrated Information: a Provisional Manifesto Biological Bulletin December 1, 2008
- Active interoceptive inference and the emotional brain Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences October 11, 2016
and 45 more in the library