Theories of consciousness

Nature reviews. Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 23(7), P. 439 - 452

Published: May 3, 2022

Language: Английский

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Making the hard problem of consciousness easier

Science, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 372(6545), P. 911 - 912

Published: May 27, 2021

Championing open science, an adversarial collaboration aims to unravel the footprints of consciousness

Language: Английский

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Consciousness and complexity: a consilience of evidence

Neuroscience of Consciousness, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 2021(2)

Published: Jan. 1, 2021

Over the last years, a surge of empirical studies converged on complexity-related measures as reliable markers consciousness across many different conditions, such sleep, anesthesia, hallucinatory states, coma, and related disorders. Most these were independently proposed by researchers endorsing disparate frameworks employing methods techniques. Since this body evidence has not been systematically reviewed coherently organized so far, positive trend remained somewhat below radar. The aim paper is to make consilience in science explicit. We start with systematic assessment growing literature identify their common denominator, tracing it back core theoretical principles predictions put forward more than 20 years ago. In doing this, we highlight consistent trajectory spanning two decades research provide provisional taxonomy present literature. Finally, consider all above ground approach new questions devise future experiments that may help consolidate further develop promising field where appears have, naturally converged.

Language: Английский

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Organoids: a systematic review of ethical issues

Stem Cell Research & Therapy, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 13(1)

Published: July 23, 2022

Abstract Organoids are 3D structures grown from pluripotent stem cells derived human tissue and serve as in vitro miniature models of organs. expected to revolutionize biomedical research clinical care. However, organoids not seen morally neutral. For instance, donors may perceive enduring personal connections with their organoids, setting higher bars for informed consent patient participation. Also, several organoid sub-types, e.g., brain human–animal chimeric have raised controversy. This systematic review provides an overview ethical discussions conducted the scientific literature on organoids. The covers both applications technology discusses topics consent, commercialization, personalized medicine, transplantation, chimeras, gastruloids. It shows that further is needed especially help ensure responsible development implementation this field.

Language: Английский

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Tests for consciousness in humans and beyond

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 28(5), P. 454 - 466

Published: March 13, 2024

Which systems/organisms are conscious? New tests for consciousness ('C-tests') urgently needed. There is persisting uncertainty about when arises in human development, it lost due to neurological disorders and brain injury, how distributed nonhuman species. This need amplified by recent rapid developments artificial intelligence (AI), neural organoids, xenobot technology. Although a number of C-tests have been proposed years, most limited use, currently we no many the populations which they critical. Here, identify challenges facing any attempt develop C-tests, propose multidimensional classification such tests, strategies that might be used validate them.

Language: Английский

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The Elephant and the Blind

The MIT Press eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 6, 2024

An engaging and insightful journey into human consciousness. What if our goal had not been to land on Mars, but in pure consciousness? The experience of consciousness—what does it look like? is the essence In Elephant Blind, influential philosopher Thomas Metzinger, one world's leading researchers consciousness, brings together more than 500 experiential reports offer first comprehensive account states Drawing a large psychometric study meditators 57 countries, Metzinger focuses “pure awareness” meditation—the simplest form there is—to illuminate most fundamental aspects how brain, illusions self all interact. Starting with an exploration existential ease ending Bewusstseinskultur, culture explores increasingly non-egoic experiences silence, wakefulness, clarity, bodiless body-experience, ego-dissolution, nondual awareness. From there, he assembles big picture—the elephant parable, from which book's title comes—of what would take arrive at minimal model explanation for conscious create genuine Freeing awareness new-age gurus old religions, Blind combines personal consciousness incisive analysis address whole community, neuroscientists artists, its accessibility echoes author's career-long commitment widening access philosophy itself.

Language: Английский

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Visual Functions Generating Conscious Seeing

Frontiers in Psychology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 11

Published: Feb. 14, 2020

Visual functions are reviewed that coincide with conscious as opposed to unconscious vision. Four stages of vision identified, going from the fully invisible, subjectively unattended and clearly visible. It is proposed feature extraction, categorization some aspects visual inference occur during full subjective invisibility. Functions related perceptual organization, such grouping figure-ground segregation inattention well visibility. argued organization function central understanding transition seeing. discussed what this implies for theories consciousness Recurrent Processing Theory, Higher Order Thought Integrated Information Theory Global Neuronal Workspace Theory.

Language: Английский

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Predictive processing as a systematic basis for identifying the neural correlates of consciousness

Philosophy and the Mind Sciences, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 1(II)

Published: Dec. 30, 2020

The search for the neural correlates of consciousness is in need a systematic, principled foundation that can endow putative with greater predictive and explanatory value. Here, we propose processing framework brain function as promising candidate providing this systematic foundation. proposal motivated by framework’s ability to address three general challenges identifying consciousness, satisfy two constraints common many theories consciousness. Implementing through lens delivers strong potential value detailed, mappings between substrates phenomenological structure. We conclude framework, precisely because it at outset not itself theory has significant advancing neuroscience

Language: Английский

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Human cerebral organoids and consciousness: a double-edged sword

Bioethics News, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 38(2), P. 105 - 128

Published: Sept. 7, 2020

Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are three-dimensional in vitro cell cultures that mimic the developmental process and organization of developing human brain. In just a few years this technique has produced brain models already being used to study diseases nervous system test treatments drugs. Currently, HCOs consist tens millions cells have size millimeters. The greatest limitation further development is due their lack vascularization. However, recent research shown can manifest same electrical activity connections between neurons EEG patterns as those recorded preterm babies. All suggests that, future, may an ability experience basic sensations such pain, therefore manifesting sentience, or even rudimentary forms consciousness. This calls for consideration whether should be given moral status what limitations introduced regulate research. article I focus particularly on emergence mechanisms consciousness, i.e. one most complex scientific problems there are, by means experiments HCOs. type experiment raises relevant ethical issues and, will argue, probably not considered morally acceptable.

Language: Английский

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Mapping the Ethical Issues of Brain Organoid Research and Application

AJOB Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 13(2), P. 81 - 94

Published: March 26, 2021

In 2008, researchers created human three-dimensional neural tissue - known as the pioneering work of "brain organoids." recent years, some have transplanted brain organoids into animal brains for applicational purposes. With these experiments come many ethical concerns. It is thus an urgent task to clarify what ethically permissible and impermissible in organoid research. This paper seeks (1) sort out issues related research application (2) propose future directions additional consideration policy debates field. Toward (1), this first outlines current state research, then briefly responds previously raised Looking next at anticipated scientific developments we will discuss (i) vitro organoids, (ii) when form complexes or relationships with other entities, (iii) ethics governance. Finally, pursuit (2), policies that are mindful also suggest need international framework organoids.

Language: Английский

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