Consciousness and the fallacy of misplaced objectivity

Area of Science:

• Consciousness studies
• Philosophy of mind
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Objective correlates (behavioral, functional, neural) are crucial for studying consciousness.
• The 'fallacy of misplaced objectivity' assumes only objective properties can be scientifically explained.
• There's a need to explain the intrinsic, subjective nature of experience, not just its extrinsic functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To argue for the possibility of an objective science of subjective experience.
• To demonstrate how subjective properties can be accounted for objectively.
• To provide a physical framework for understanding the qualitative feel of experience.

Main Methods:

• Moving beyond purely cognitive functions to analyze the intrinsic structure of experience.
• Utilizing Integrated Information Theory (IIT).
• Developing a framework to explain both essential and specific properties of experience in physical terms.

Main Results:

• Subjective properties of experience can be accounted for objectively.
• Integrated Information Theory provides a means to explain the 'what it's like' of experience.
• A physical, rather than magical, explanation for subjective experience is possible.

Conclusions:

• An objective science of the subjective is achievable.
• Understanding the structure of experience is key to explaining its subjective nature.
• Integrated Information Theory offers a robust framework for a physical theory of consciousness.