Evolutionary origin and the development of consciousness

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Anthropology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Common fallacies in consciousness research include ignoring evolutionary origins and separating neuroscience from behavioral sciences.
• Subjective reality is often overlooked when searching for neural correlates of consciousness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the adaptive value of human consciousness using an interdisciplinary approach.
• To refute common misconceptions in consciousness studies by integrating anthropological and neuroscientific perspectives.
• To establish a framework for a naturalistic science of consciousness.

Main Methods:

• Interdisciplinary review combining anthropology and neuroscience.
• Analysis of theoretical explanations for subjective experience.
• Examination of the world-brain research program.

Main Results:

• Consciousness is framed as the stochastic dynamics of a control system, experienced as subjective reality.
• Subjective experience arises from the overlap between intrinsic neural dynamics and external stimulation.
• A foundation is laid for quantitatively describing feelings and advancing a naturalistic science of consciousness.

Conclusions:

• An integrated anthropological and neuroscientific perspective is crucial for understanding consciousness.
• The evolutionary origin of subjective reality is vital for a comprehensive theory of consciousness.
• Consciousness involves an inseparable link between physical correlates and subjective experience, supporting a realistic ontology.