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Published on: March 8, 2019
Sensing, feeling and consciousness
Antonio Damasio1, Hanna Damasio1
1Brain and Creativity Institute and Department of Psychology, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
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Living organisms achieve homeostasis by using distinct mechanisms tailored to their physiological complexity. Unicellular organisms as well as plants, which are devoid of nervous systems, rely on covert sensing/detecting and equally covert responding mechanisms. Organisms with nervous systems rely on overt consciousness which is based on homeostatic feelings and the experiences and consequent subjectivity they generate. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.
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