The neural basis of consciousness

Consciousness has evolved and is a feature of all animals with sufficiently complex nervous systems. It is, therefore, primarily a problem for biology, rather than physics. In this review, I will consider three aspects of consciousness: level of consciousness, whether we are awake or in a coma; the contents of consciousness, what determines how a small amount of sensory information is associated with subjective experience, while the rest is not; and meta-consciousness, the ability to reflect upon our subjective experiences and, importantly, to share them with others. I will discuss and compare current theories of the neural and cognitive mechanisms involved in producing these three aspects of consciousness and conclude that the research in this area is flourishing and has already succeeded to delineate these mechanisms in surprising detail.

Automated summary

Consciousness, a feature of animals with complex nervous systems, is primarily a biological rather than a physical problem. This review considers level of consciousness, contents of consciousness, and meta-consciousness, discussing current theories on the neural and cognitive mechanisms involved in producing these aspects. Research in this area is flourishing, successfully delineating these mechanisms in surprising detail.