Emergence Of Consciousness And Qualia From A Complex Brain

Qualia—private conscious experiences with associated feelings that can be reported—have often been considered beyond scientific study, but this article argues they are amenable to investigation. The brain changes continuously and irreversibly due to genetic, environmental, and communicative influences; qualia and consciousness are processes, not states. Private feelings should be understood in the context of a personal brain developed over a lifetime. Consciousness and qualia should be viewed through general system theory, meaning isolated properties of neurons contribute little to understanding higher brain functions. Current in vivo methods lack the spatial and temporal resolution to capture individual subjective brain processes. The article suggests that once subtle personalized nervous system properties can be assessed, qualia can be scientifically studied, and discusses approaches to overcome these barriers.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Qualia are private conscious experiences of which the associated feelings can be reported to other people. Whether qualia are amenable to scientific exploration has often been questioned, which is challenged by the present article. The following arguments are given: 1. the configuration of the brain changes continuously and irreversibly, because of genetic and environmental influences and interhuman communication; 2. qualia and consciousness are processes, rather than states; 3. private feelings, including those associated with qualia, should be positioned in the context of a personal brain as being developed during life; 4. consciousness and qualia should be understood in the context of general system theory, thus concluding that isolated, in vitro, properties of neurons and other brain constituents might marginally contribute to the understanding of higher brain functions, mind or qualia; 5. current in vivo approaches have too little resolution power - in terms of space and time - to delineate individual and subjective brain processes. When subtle personalized properties of the nervous system can be assessed in vivo or in vitro, qualia can scientifically be investigated. We discuss some approaches to overcome these barriers.