Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 11, 2026
07:37
Assessment and Communication for People with Disorders of Consciousness
Published on: August 1, 2017
9.6K
The value of consciousness: experiences worth having
Léa Moncoucy1, Krzysztof Dołęga1, Catherine Tallon-Baudry2
1Center for Research in Cognition and Neuroscience, Université Libre de Bruxelles Faculté des Sciences psychologiques et de l'éducation, Bruxelles, Belgium.
Summary
Organisms with phenomenal experience, or subjective feelings, can act for their own reasons, not just evolutionary ones. This subjective value, intrinsic to consciousness, shapes behavior beyond mere survival instincts.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy of Mind
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- All organisms act based on evolutionary pressures.
- Some organisms develop the capacity to act for their own reasons, even if detrimental.
- This shift raises questions about the origin of intentionality and self-motivated action.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the transition from acting for evolutionary reasons to acting for self-generated reasons.
- To defend the claim that phenomenal experience holds intrinsic value.
- To elaborate on the role of subjective value in shaping behavior.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical analysis of consciousness and intentionality.
- Elaboration on the theoretical perspective of Cleeremans and Tallon-Baudry.
- Argumentation based on the intrinsic value of subjective experience.
Main Results:
- Phenomenal experience broadens an organism's behavioral repertoire.
- Subjective value, derived from phenomenal experience, influences actions beyond evolutionary cost functions.
- Intrinsic value of subjective experience cannot always be reduced to extrinsic values.
Conclusions:
- Consciousness and subjective experience are crucial for developing self-motivated behavior.
- Subjective value serves as both a driver and a target for behavior.
- Understanding the evolutionary functions of consciousness is key to understanding agency.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:23Understanding Consciousness
1.7K
Consciousness can be defined as the state of being aware of and able to think about one's existence, sensations, and surroundings. It encompasses two major components: awareness and arousal. Awareness pertains to the recognition of environmental stimuli and internal states. At the same time, arousal refers to the physiological readiness to engage with these stimuli, which varies significantly between states like sleep and wakefulness.
Sleep, a crucial state, is characterized by reduced...
Sleep, a crucial state, is characterized by reduced...
1.7K
01:21Self-Awareness and Its Effects
264
Self-awareness is a psychological state in which the individual becomes the focal point of their attention. This inward focus transforms the self into an object of contemplation and assessment, influencing how individuals perceive their actions and their alignment with personal and societal standards.Triggers and Contexts for Self-AwarenessSelf-awareness can be activated by external stimuli that make individuals visually or audibly aware of themselves, such as mirrors, cameras, or recordings.
264
01:06Altered States of Awareness
976
Altered states of consciousness represent significant deviations from one's normal mental state. These deviations can range from subtle changes in awareness to profound transformations in perception, thought processes, and sensory experiences. Altered states of consciousness can be triggered by various factors, including drug use, meditation, hypnosis, illness, or even intense fatigue.
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain...
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain...
976
01:15Subconsciousness and No Awareness
642
The concept of subconscious awareness refers to the processing of information below the level of conscious thought, which significantly influences both behaviors and decisions. It is also known as waking subconscious awareness. This complex level of cognition operates without the direct awareness of the individual, facilitating rapid and simultaneous handling of multiple information streams.
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...
642
01:19High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
618
Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...
618
02:57The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
55.3K
According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
55.3K