This paper offers a critical examination of“neurophysicalism”,namely the thesis that phenomenal consciousness is nothing over and above neural states(processes)in the brain,in light of empirical researches on some“...This paper offers a critical examination of“neurophysicalism”,namely the thesis that phenomenal consciousness is nothing over and above neural states(processes)in the brain,in light of empirical researches on some“altered states of consciousness”(lucid dreaming and mystical experiences).By probing the implication of“neurophysicalism”in the empirical world,it is argued that“neurophysicalism”is committed to the principle of“psycho-neural isomorphism”to the effect that the structural features of any state(process)of phenomenal consciousness are isomorphic to the physical structural features of the corresponding“neural correlate”of that state(process)of consciousness.However,in the case of lucid dreaming and mystical experiences,the principle of“psycho-neural isomorphism”does not hold true,which implies that there is a structural mismatch between the phenomenal structure and the physical structure of the corresponding“neural correlates”.The phenomenal structure of lucid dreaming is characterized by features that are unconstant,bizarre,and uncertain,whereas the“neural correlates”of lucid dreaming possess physical structure that is deterministic(with low entropy).In the case of mystical experiences,although the phenomenal structure is characterized by strong realness and constancy,the physical structure of the corresponding“neural correlates”is chaotic and disordered(with high entropy).The phenomenon of structural mismatch challenges“neurophysicalism”in the empirical world.Some possible objections from“neurophysicalists”are examined,including“neural misrepresentation”,“errors of introspective reports”,and“neural correlates not being detected”,none of which withstands scrutiny.The author concludes by proposing an alternative metaphysics for consciousness that takes the brain to be a“valve”“filtering”and constraining unbound consciousness.展开更多
文摘This paper offers a critical examination of“neurophysicalism”,namely the thesis that phenomenal consciousness is nothing over and above neural states(processes)in the brain,in light of empirical researches on some“altered states of consciousness”(lucid dreaming and mystical experiences).By probing the implication of“neurophysicalism”in the empirical world,it is argued that“neurophysicalism”is committed to the principle of“psycho-neural isomorphism”to the effect that the structural features of any state(process)of phenomenal consciousness are isomorphic to the physical structural features of the corresponding“neural correlate”of that state(process)of consciousness.However,in the case of lucid dreaming and mystical experiences,the principle of“psycho-neural isomorphism”does not hold true,which implies that there is a structural mismatch between the phenomenal structure and the physical structure of the corresponding“neural correlates”.The phenomenal structure of lucid dreaming is characterized by features that are unconstant,bizarre,and uncertain,whereas the“neural correlates”of lucid dreaming possess physical structure that is deterministic(with low entropy).In the case of mystical experiences,although the phenomenal structure is characterized by strong realness and constancy,the physical structure of the corresponding“neural correlates”is chaotic and disordered(with high entropy).The phenomenon of structural mismatch challenges“neurophysicalism”in the empirical world.Some possible objections from“neurophysicalists”are examined,including“neural misrepresentation”,“errors of introspective reports”,and“neural correlates not being detected”,none of which withstands scrutiny.The author concludes by proposing an alternative metaphysics for consciousness that takes the brain to be a“valve”“filtering”and constraining unbound consciousness.
