A methodological dilemma for investigating consciousness empirically.
Consciousness and Cognition November 1, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2018.11.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Cognition Cognitive access Consciousness Methodology Overflow |
| Key points | Argues that the research program for finding the neural correlate of consciousness faces a methodological dilemma: subjective reports risk confounding the NCC with cognitive functions, while no-report paradigms risk confounding it with unconscious processes, making it doubtful that the right correlations will ever be obtained. |
Abstract
This paper exposes a methodological dilemma arising for the research program of finding the neural correlate of consciousness (NCC), the minimal set of brain processes sufficient for a particular percept. The main claim is that it is doubtful that the right kind of correlations will ever be obtained because the foregoing conceptual decisions regarding the relations between consciousness, attention, cognitive access, report, and other cognitive functions determine the interpretation of the correlation data that can be obtained. Relying on subjective reports likely leads to confounding the NCC with neural mechanisms for cognitive functions because reports presuppose cognitive access. No-report paradigms are in danger of confounding the NCC with neural mechanisms underlying unconscious processes. So there does not seem to be a way of making sure to have isolated the neural correlate of conscious experience.