Online research in philosophy

A number of theories of consciousness define consciousness by the folk-intuition that consciousness is somehow aware of, or ‘given’ to itself. I attempt to undermine this intuition on phenomenological, conceptual and psychological grounds. An alternative, first-order theory of consciousness, however, faces the task of explaining the possibility of self-awareness for consciousness, as well as the everyday intuition supporting it. I propose that another, weaker kind of givenness, ‘givenness as availability’, is up to both of these tasks, and is therefore sufficient and suitable for first-order theories of consciousness.

What is consciousness? Of course, each of us knows, privately, what consciousness is. And we each think, for basically irresistible reasons, that all other conscious humans by and large have experiences like ours. So we conclude that we all know what consciousness is. It's the felt experiences of our lives. But that is not the answer we, as cognitive scientists, seek in asking our question. We all want to know what physical process consciousness is and why it produces this very strange, almost mysterious, phenomenon of felt experience.

What is consciousness? Of course, each of us knows, privately, what consciousness is. And we each think, for basically irresistible reasons, that all other conscious humans by and large have experiences like ours. So we conclude that we all know what consciousness is. It's the felt experiences of our lives. But that is not the answer we, as cognitive scientists, seek in asking our question. We all want to know what physical process consciousness is and why it produces this very strange, almost mysterious, phenomenon of felt experience.

William Hirstein, Brain Fiction -- John Bickle; Susan Blackmore, Consciousness: An Introduction -- Tim Calton; Eric Dietrich and Valerie Gray Hardcastle, Sisyphus's Boulder -- Hugh Noble; Ted Honderich, On Consciousness -- Paavo Pylkkanen.

William Hirstein, Brain Fiction -- John Bickle; Susan Blackmore, Consciousness: An Introduction -- Tim Calton; Eric Dietrich and Valerie Gray Hardcastle, Sisyphus's Boulder -- Hugh Noble; Ted Honderich, On Consciousness -- Paavo Pylkkanen.

William Hirstein, Brain Fiction -- John Bickle; Susan Blackmore, Consciousness: An Introduction -- Tim Calton; Eric Dietrich and Valerie Gray Hardcastle, Sisyphus's Boulder -- Hugh Noble; Ted Honderich, On Consciousness -- Paavo Pylkkanen.

William Hirstein, Brain Fiction -- John Bickle; Susan Blackmore, Consciousness: An Introduction -- Tim Calton; Eric Dietrich and Valerie Gray Hardcastle, Sisyphus's Boulder -- Hugh Noble; Ted Honderich, On Consciousness -- Paavo Pylkkanen.