Consciousness and the “causal paradox”
Behavioral and Brain Sciences September 1, 1996 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00082078 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 36 |
| Key points | Argues that the apparent paradox of consciousness appearing necessary from a first-person view but absent from a third-person view of brain activity can be addressed by distinguishing consciousness of processing from consciousness accompanying or causing processing, and contends that first- and third-person accounts are complementary and mutually irreducible. |
Abstract
Abstract Viewed from a first-person perspective, consciousness appears to be necessary for complex, novel human activity. Viewed from a third-person perspective, however, consciousness appears to play no role in the activity of brains – producing a“causal paradox.” To resolve this paradox one needs to distinguish consciousness of processing from consciousness accompanying processing or causing processing. Accounts of consciousness/brain causal interactions switch between first- and third-person perspectives. However, epistemically, the differences between first-and third-person access are fundamental. First- and third-person accounts are complementary and mutually irreducible.
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Patients with Disorders of Consciousness: Are They Nonconscious, Unconscious, or Subconscious? Expanding the Discussion. Brain Sciences May 17, 2023
- Beyond the Identity Theory Imagination Cognition and Personality October 1, 2009
- A neuroscientific hypothesis on the physical nature of consciousness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience March 12, 2026
- The temporally-integrated causality landscape: A theoretical framework for consciousness and meaning. Consciousness and Cognition August 1, 2020
- What makes a conscious process conscious? Behavioral and Brain Sciences February 1, 2014
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