What is consciousness for?

Abstract

In the first talk I discuss recent experiments designed to elucidate the neural correlates of consciousness. Implicit in this discussion are operational definitions of what I mean by consciousness. In the second talk I explore the extent to which we are conscious of being in control of our actions, our sense of agency. I raise the question of why we need to be aware of actions at all since we can achieve so much without such awareness. In the final talk I propose that consciousness has a critical role in social interactions. Consciousness of action allows us to assign responsibility and develop culturally acceptable justifications for action. Furthermore, consciousness enables us to share our experiences in a manner that is optimal for group decisions.