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The case of conscious olfaction
1Department of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Schinerstrasse 18, Brig, Switzerland geraldine.coppin@unidisance.chhttps://unidistance.ch/en/profile/geraldine-coppin.
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|June 24, 2026
Summary
Conscious vision aids planning, but the transition from water to land may have uniquely affected vision. For human olfaction, consciousness is often an add-on, not essential due to its implicit processing and emotional links.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Evolutionary Biology
- Sensory Perception
Background:
- Fleming and Michel suggested conscious vision supports model-based planning.
- They linked this to the evolutionary water-to-land transition.
- This transition might have disproportionately influenced vision compared to other senses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of consciousness in human olfaction.
- To contrast the necessity of consciousness for vision versus olfaction.
- To propose an alternative perspective on olfactory processing.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis and argumentation.
- Review of existing theories on vision and consciousness.
- Comparative analysis of sensory modalities during evolution.
Main Results:
- The water-to-land transition may have had a more significant impact on vision than other senses.
- Human olfaction is characterized by implicit processing and high emotional salience.
- Consciousness may not be a necessity for olfactory perception.
Conclusions:
- Consciousness might be an optional feature for human olfaction, rather than a core requirement.
- Olfactory processing's implicit nature and emotional ties suggest a different relationship with consciousness compared to vision.
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