The Invention of Consciousness
Topoi August 9, 2017 DOI: 10.1007/s11245-017-9498-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 20 |
| Key points | Argues that human consciousness is an "invention" in two senses: an evolved cognitive faculty shaped by natural selection to help us understand ourselves and our surroundings, and a fantasy conjured by the brain to change the value we place on our existence. |
Abstract
In English we use the word “invention” in two ways. First, to mean a new device or process developed by experimentation, and designed to fulfill a practical goal. Second, to mean a mental fabrication, especially a falsehood, designed to please or persuade. In this paper I argue that human consciousness is an invention in both respects. First, it is a cognitive faculty, evolved by natural selection, designed to help us make sense of ourselves and our surroundings. But then, second, it is a fantasy, conjured up by the brain, designed to change the value we place on our existence.
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Sources of richness and ineffability for phenomenally conscious states. Neuroscience of Consciousness 2024
- How to Live in the Moment: The Methodology and Limitations of Evolutionary Research on Consciousness. Cognitive Science March 1, 2025
- Husserl’s concept of transcendental consciousness and the problem of AI consciousness Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences May 22, 2024
- Consciousness at sea. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences November 13, 2025
- Religious Panpsychism: The Ecological Stakes of Sacralizing the Earth Journal of Consciousness Studies June 1, 2026
and 6 more in the library