Brain localization of consciousness? Neurological considerations

This paper is based, to a large part, on the review by Zeman [1]. It gives a short overview on investigations, which try to demonstrate that, in the eyes of some authors, local neural correlates of conscious brain activity do likely exist which supports a materialistic view of consciousness. Simultaneously, the paper tries to elucidate why these hints should be seen with caution and scepticism in order to justify the view of a non-materialistic dimension of consciousness. The paper serves as an introduction to the other talks of the seminar. We use the term "consciousness" as synonymous with "awareness". The "contents of consciousness" encompass all that we are conscious of, aware of, or experience [2]. The conscious state in my opinion best corresponds to the wake state, in which we can act adequately according to the contents we are aware of. However, when sleeping, for example, one can still have visual and auditory experiences in the form of dreams. Conversely, when awake there are many things at any given moment that one does not experience. Dreams, in some respect, may therefore probably be conscious, however "adequate responses" with regard to their contents are normally not possible. Depending on the context used it thus seems to be justified to distinguish "consciousness" in the sense of "awareness" from wakefulness and other states of arousal.