Underwhelming force: Evaluating the neuropsychological evidence for higher‐order theories of consciousness. (28th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kozuch, Benjamin
• Is Part Of: Mind & language. Volume 37:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: 790
• Page End: 813
• Publication Date: 2021-06-28
• Subjects: brain lesions -- consciousness -- higher‐order theories of consciousness -- prefrontal cortex -- vision; Psycholinguistics -- Periodicals; Thought and thinking -- Periodicals; Language and languages -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; 153.42
• DOI: 10.1111/mila.12363
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0268-1064

Abstract

Abstract : Proponents of the higher‐order (HO) theory of consciousness (e.g., Lau and Rosenthal) have recently appealed to brain lesion evidence to support their thesis that mental states are conscious when and only when represented by other mental states. This article argues that this evidence fails to support HO theory, doing this by first determining what kinds of conscious deficit should result when HO state‐producing areas are damaged, then arguing that these kinds of deficit do not occur in the studies to which HO theorists appeal. The article also develops an apparatus that can be used to evaluate whether other lesion evidence confirms or disconfirms HO theory.