Explaining consciousness: From correlations to foundations

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Philosophy of Mind
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Understanding the interplay between consciousness and action is a central challenge in cognitive science.
• Functional explanations aim to elucidate the causal roles of mental states and behaviors.
• The relationship between consciousness and action requires rigorous explanatory frameworks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate the epistemological requirements for explaining the roles of consciousness in action and action in consciousness.
• To assess whether a specific target article by Morsella et al. adequately meets these explanatory criteria.
• To propose necessary conditions for robust functional explanations in the study of consciousness and action.

Main Methods:

• This commentary employs a critical analysis of explanatory frameworks in the philosophy of mind and cognitive science.
• It examines the target article by Morsella et al. against established epistemological standards for scientific explanation.
• The core method involves evaluating the independence of described phenomena (explanandum and explanans) and the foundational explanation of their linkage.

Main Results:

• The commentary argues that efficient functional explanations necessitate two key epistemological requirements.
• These requirements include the independent description of both the phenomenon to be explained (explanandum) and the explanatory mechanism (explanans).
• Furthermore, a foundational explanation of the mutual relationship between the explanandum and explanans is deemed essential.

Conclusions:

• The target article by Morsella et al. is found to not fully satisfy the proposed epistemological requirements for explaining consciousness and action.
• This suggests limitations in current functional explanations regarding the consciousness-action relationship.
• The commentary underscores the importance of adhering to stringent explanatory criteria for advancing our understanding of consciousness and its role in guiding action.