The Mind-Evolution Problem: The Difficulty of Fitting Consciousness in an Evolutionary Framework.

Consciousness poses a deep challenge for evolutionary theory because it is not obvious how subjective experience could arise from physical processes or what adaptive advantage it might confer. The article examines the difficulty of explaining the origin and function of consciousness within a standard Darwinian framework, highlighting the explanatory gap between neural activity and first-person experience. It argues that current evolutionary models struggle to account for the qualitative, subjective aspects of mind, suggesting that a new conceptual approach may be needed to integrate consciousness into evolutionary biology.

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Abstract

The Mind-Evolution Problem: The Difficulty of Fitting Consciousness in an Evolutionary Framework.