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Integrated Information Theory: Pseudoscience or appropriately anomalous science?

Keith Frankish

preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/uscwt (opens in new tab)

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AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper
Key points Argues that the integrated information theory of consciousness (IIT) is at best a metaphysical theory misrepresented as science, and that the accusation of pseudoscience has merit.

Abstract

The integrated information theory of consciousness (IIT) has recently been branded pseudoscience. Its methodology is certainly anomalous, but does that make it pseudoscience or an appropriately anomalous science of an anomalous phenomenon? This article considers the question and argues that the accusation of pseudoscience has merit. At best, IIT is a metaphysical theory mispresented as science.

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