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On the Search for the Neural Correlates of Consciousness| old_uid | 14645 |
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| title | On the Search for the Neural Correlates of Consciousness |
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| start_date | 2017/12/07 |
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| schedule | 16h-18h |
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| online | no |
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| summary | Many philosophers and scientists think that explaining consciousness is an empirical problem left for neuroscientists rather than philosophers. This paper demonstrates the limitations of the primary research program in cognitive neuroscience: finding the neural correlate of consciousness (NCC) as the minimal set of brain processes sufficient for a particular percept. The main claim is that it is doubtful that the right kind of correlations will ever be obtained because the foregoing conceptual decisions regarding the relations between consciousness, attention, report, and other cognitive functions will determine the interpretation of the correlation data that can be obtained. This problem is illustrated by formulating a dilemma: If researchers rely on subjective reports then the NCC will most likely be confounded with the neural mechanism for cognitive functions because reports presuppose cognitive access. But if researchers bypass reports and rely on other objective behavioral data such as automatic eye reflexes, then the NCC will most likely be confounded with neural mechanisms underlying unconscious processes. So there does not seem to be a way of making sure to have isolated the neural correlate of conscious experience. |
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| responsibles | Kriegel |
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