Do plants pay attention? A possible phenomenological-empirical approach

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Plant Biology
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• Attention is a key cognitive function for resource allocation in organisms.
• Plant behavior suggests complex cognitive capabilities, yet plant attention remains understudied.
• Existing research lacks a framework for understanding or measuring plant attention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To hypothesize that plants possess attentive states.
• To propose a transdisciplinary framework for understanding plant attention.
• To identify empirical methods for studying plant attention.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical framework integrating philosophy, psychology, physics, and plant ecophysiology.
• Emphasis on the phenomenological approach for theoretical explanation.
• Proposal of plant electrophysiology as a primary empirical method.

Main Results:

• A theoretical framework suggesting plant attention is plausible.
• Identification of electrophysiological techniques as suitable for empirical investigation.
• Revisitation of previous research to support the hypothesis of plant attention.

Conclusions:

• Plants may possess attentive states, analogous to other organisms.
• Plant electrophysiology offers a viable empirical approach to study plant attention.
• Future research should explore plant attention and its implications for botany.