Access consciousness and phenomenal consciousness are two different concepts that may represent the same underlying process in the brain, similar to how water and H2O are distinct concepts. Recent papers by Crick and Koch propose that these two forms of consciousness could have different but overlapping neural correlates, challenging their previous stance against this notion.
Study at a glance
Key finding
Access consciousness and phenomenal consciousness might have different neural correlates despite being conceptually related.
Abstract
There are two concepts of consciousness, access consciousness and phenomenal consciousness. But just as the concepts of water and H2O are different concepts of the same thing, so the two concepts of consciousness might come to the same thing in the brain. Some recent papers by Crick and Koch raise issues that suggest that these two concepts of consciousness might have different (though overlapping) neural correlates, despite Crick and Koch's implicit rejection of this idea.