Proposal to create discussion forum to consider evidence on theories of consciousness.
Cognitive Neuroscience January 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2020.1846026 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA commentary on a paper comparing 13 empirical theories of consciousness argues that while the comparison is valuable, the paper overlooks how these theories address qualia—the subjective, felt aspects of conscious experience. The author considers qualia the greatest unsolved mystery in science and suggests that future work should examine how different empirical approaches might connect to this fundamental problem.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Commentary Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Consciousness Qualia Quantum mechanics |
| Key finding | Argues that the target paper on empirical theories of consciousness fails to address how these theories connect to qualia, the subjective aspects of consciousness. |
Abstract
I consider the Doerig, Schruger, Herzog (this issue) paper to be a very important paper on the multiple empirical theories of consciousness (ToCs). The paper compared 13 different approaches. It would be wonderful to create a forum for all interested parties to discuss the many issues this paper brought up. Equally important is what the paper didn't bring up. Namely, how do the different empirical approaches connect to qualia, the subjective aspects of consciousness. In my mind, qualia is the biggest mystery facing present science. It would be good to see how the multiple interpretations might connect to qualia.