Causal processes, semiosis, and consciousness
نویسندگان
چکیده
Claus Emmeche Center for the Philosophy of Nature and Science Studies Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Internet: www.nbi.dk/~natphil/ Email: emmeche [at] nbi.dk URL of this paper: www.nbi.dk/~emmeche/cePubl/2004f.cpsas01.pdf Abstract The evolutionary emergence of biological processes in organisms with inner, qualitative aspects has not been explained in any sufficient way by neurobiology, nor by the traditional neo-Darwinian paradigm — natural selection would appear to work just as well on insentient zombies (with the right behavioral input-output relations) as on real sentient animals. In consciousness studies one talks about the ‘hard problem’ of qualia. In this paper I sketch a set of principles about sign action, causality and emergent evolution. On the basis of these principles, I characterize a concept of cause that would allow for a naturalistic explanation of the origin of consciousness. The suggested account of causation also turns the ‘hard problem’ of qualia into the easier problem of relating experimental biology to experiential biology.
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