7. Information Theories of Consciousness
Human and Machine Consciousness March 7, 2018 DOI: 10.11647/obp.0107.07 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSome theorists argue that any information pattern—whether in a brain, computer, or sand—could be linked to consciousness. This chapter argues that such an approach fails because information is not a property of the physical world, and the same information pattern can be extracted from both conscious and unconscious brains. Information theories of consciousness should therefore be reinterpreted as physical theories of consciousness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Argues that information theories of consciousness fail because information is not a physical property and can be extracted from both conscious and unconscious brains, so they should be reinterpreted as physical theories. |
Abstract
A number of people have claimed that information patterns are linked to consciousness regardless of whether they occur in a brain, a computer or a pile of sand. The seventh chapter shows that this approach fails because information is not a property of the physical world and any given information pattern can be extracted from both the conscious and unconscious brain. Information theories of consciousness should be reinterpreted as physical theories of consciousness.