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Neuroimaging of Consciousness pp 23–35Cite as

Consciousness: Theoretical Approaches

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Abstract

This chapter reviews some of the central theoretical challenges confronting the search for the brain basis of consciousness and develops a conceptual framework for tackling these challenges. At the heart of the search for the neural basis of consciousness is the notion of a neural correlate of consciousness. Identifying the neural correlates of consciousness requires that we acknowledge the various aspects of consciousness, for each of the aspects of consciousness raises its own set of methodological challenges. We examine the question of whether an account of the neural correlates of consciousness can be used to ascribe consciousness to creatures that lack the capacity to report their experiences, and we ask whether it is possible to go beyond the neural correlates of consciousness by providing neurally-based explanations of consciousness.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK

    Tim Bayne

  2. Department of Philosophy, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Jakob Hohwy

Authors
  1. Tim Bayne
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  2. Jakob Hohwy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tim Bayne .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Birmingham, Dept. Neuropsychiatry, Research Group BSMHFT, Vincent Drive 25, Birmingham, B15 2FG, United Kingdom

    Andrea Eugenio Cavanna

  2. University of Birmingham, Michael Trimble Neuropsychiatry, Research Group BSMHFT, Corso Brianza 26, Torino, 10153, Italy

    Andrea Nani

  3. , Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, Cedar Street 333, New Haven, 06520, Connecticut, USA

    Hal Blumenfeld

  4. , Cyclotron Research Centre, University of Liège, Allée du 6 août 8, Liège, 4000, Belgium

    Steven Laureys

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Bayne, T., Hohwy, J. (2013). Consciousness: Theoretical Approaches. In: Cavanna, A., Nani, A., Blumenfeld, H., Laureys, S. (eds) Neuroimaging of Consciousness. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37580-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37580-4_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-37579-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-37580-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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