The Issue of Consciousness
Psychology Press eBooks September 1, 2001 DOI: 10.4324/9781410604378-12 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that an explanation of consciousness based on the distinction between localist (symbolic) representation and distributed representation is preferable to existing computational accounts, and proposes a framework that encompasses various existing views on the functional roles of consciousness. |
Abstract
I will first critique various explanations of consciousness, especially those embodied by existing computational models. I will then explore the issue of the functional roles of consciousness and examine various views in this regard, in relation to the explanation of consciousness. In these examinations, I will argue in favor of the explanation based on the distinction between localist (symbolic) representation and distributed representation. I will also advance a proposal that encompasses various existing views concerning the functional roles of consciousness.