A Simple, Testable Mind–Body Solution?
Journal of Consciousness Studies February 1, 2024 DOI: 10.53765/20512201.31.1.051 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that neuroelectrical panpsychism offers a clear, simple, testable mind–body solution in which everything is at least minimally conscious and electrical activity across separate neurons creates a unified, intelligent mind. The author contends this framework addresses the easy problem of neural correlates, the hard problem of why minds accompany them, and panpsychism's combination problem, by treating consciousness as the real nature of matter-energy that unites neuroelectrically. |
Abstract
Neuroelectrical panpsychism (NP) offers a clear, simple, testable mind–body solution. It says that everything is at least minimally conscious, and electrical activity across separate neurons creates a unified, intelligent mind. NP draws on recent experimental evidence to address the easy problem of specifying the mind's neural correlates. These correlates are neuroelectrical activities that, for example, generate our different qualia, unite them to form perceptions and emotions, and help guide brain operations. NP also addresses the hard problem of why minds accompany these neural correlates. Here, the real nature of matter-energy (beyond how it appears to sense organs) is consciousness that occupies space, exerts forces, and unites neuroelectrically to form minds. This doesn't reduce consciousness to observable neural activities, nor posit any radically different entities. NP also deals with panpsychism's combination problem by explaining how the mind's subject and experiences arise by electrically combining simple experiences in brains.