Abstract
The purpose of consciousness in primitive creatures is found to be the repression or enhancement of completing pathways of evolution. In advanced creatures such as humans the purpose of consciousness has become the repression or enhancement of competing neurological pathways. The ‘causal’ influence of consciousness is the same in both cases. A previous paper describes the introduction of pain and fear consciousness in a primitive fish, and the intermediate introduction of the fish’s visual experience. The manner of introduction of these conscious experiences is essential to their matching physical behavior in the right way — so subjective experiences emerge in parallel with the behaviors to which they are appropriately attached. When the same cause-and-effect principles are applied to pleasure and desire consciousness, familiar human patterns emerge. Novel behaviors such as the neuromotor control of a prosthetic device are also explained in this way.
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Mould, R.A. Evolved Consciousness. Act Nerv Super 52, 141–145 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03379578
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03379578