Phenomenology and Connectionism
Frontiers in Psychology 2011 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00288 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Citations | 23 |
| Key points | Proposes that consciousness dynamics can be formally derived from neural activity's open dynamics via a supervenience function, enabling bidirectional mapping between phenomenological and neuro-computational structures. |
Abstract
I show how the dynamics of consciousness can be formally derived from the "open dynamics" of neural activity, and develop a mathematical framework for neuro-phenomenological investigation. I describe the space of possible brain states, the space of possible conscious states, and a "supervenience function" linking them. I show how this framework can be used to associate phenomenological structures with neuro-computational structures, and vice-versa. I pay special attention to the relationship between (1) the relatively fast dynamics of consciousness and neural activity, and (2) the slower dynamics of knowledge update and brain development.