Consciousness is already solved: The continued debate is not about science

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Philosophy of Mind
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• The nature of consciousness remains a significant challenge in science and philosophy.
• Existing theories often invoke non-physical or intangible aspects of conscious experience.
• Objective phenomena of consciousness include believing, thinking, and claiming subjective states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a logical, explanatory framework for consciousness.
• To differentiate between explanatory and non-explanatory theories of consciousness.
• To identify the necessary neural information processing for conscious states.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of existing theories of consciousness.
• Examination of the objective phenomena associated with conscious experience.
• Deductive reasoning to establish necessary conditions for consciousness.

Main Results:

• Consciousness is explained by the brain's construction of specific theory-of-mind information.
• Theories positing intangible conscious feelings are deemed non-explanatory.
• The objective phenomena of believing, thinking, and claiming are directly linked to this information processing.

Conclusions:

• A mechanistic explanation for consciousness is achievable through understanding information processing.
• The brain's capacity for theory-of-mind is fundamental to subjective conscious experience.
• Focusing on intangible feelings distracts from the objective neural basis of consciousness.