Susan Pockett The Electromagnetic Field Theory of Consciousness A Testable
نویسنده
چکیده
The electromagnetic field theory of consciousness proposes that conscious experiences are identical with certain electromagnetic patterns generated by the brain. While the theory has always acknowledged that not all of the electromagnetic patterns generated by brain activity are conscious, until now it has not been able to specify what might distinguish conscious patterns from non-conscious patterns. Here a hypothesis is proposed about the 3D shape of electromagnetic fields that are conscious, as opposed to those that are not conscious. Seven predictions arising from this hypothesis are described. Existing empirical evidence shows that four of these predictions have already been successfully tested. Requirements for experimental testing of the other three are discussed.
منابع مشابه
The Electromagnetic Field Theory of Consciousness: a Testable Hypothesis about the Characteristics of Conscious as Opposed to Non-conscious Fields
The electromagnetic field theory of consciousness proposes that conscious experiences are identical with certain electromagnetic patterns generated by the brain. While the theory has always acknowledged that not all of the electromagnetic patterns generated by brain activity are conscious, until now it has not been able to specify what might distinguish conscious patterns from non-conscious pat...
متن کاملSusan Pockett Difficulties with the Electromagnetic Field Theory of Consciousness
The author’s version of the electromagnetic field theory of consciousness is stated briefly and then three difficulties with the theory are discussed. The first is a purely technical problem: how to measure accurately enough the spatial properties of the fields which are proposed to be conscious and then how to generate these artificially, so that the theory can be tested. The second difficulty...
متن کاملThe timing of brain events: authors' response to Libet's 'reply'.
A commentary in response to B. Libet: 'The timing of brain events: Reply to the "Special Section" in this journal of September 2004, edited by Susan Pockett' ().
متن کاملInitiation of Intentional Actions and the Electromagnetic Field Theory of Consciousness
The electromagnetic (EM) field theory of consciousness proposes that consciousness is identical with certain brain-generated EM field patterns. It initially seemed to be a point in favour of this theory that EM fields are known to affect neurons, which in principle provides a mechanism whereby consciousness could affect its brain. However, it is shown here that the sorts of EM fields proposed b...
متن کاملConsciousness Is a Thing, Not a Process
The central dogma of cognitive psychology is ‘consciousness is a process, not a thing’. Hence, the main task of cognitive neuroscientists is generally seen as working out what kinds of neural processing are conscious and what kinds are not. I argue here that the central dogma is simply wrong. All neural processing is unconscious. The illusion that some of it is conscious results largely from a ...
متن کامل