The social origins of consciousness.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci November 13, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2024.0300 via PubMed Central
Summary
The text argues that consciousness arises from social interactions and relationships rather than being an inherent property of individual brains. It explores how shared experiences, language, and cultural contexts shape subjective awareness, suggesting that the self is fundamentally relational. This perspective challenges purely neurobiological accounts of consciousness by emphasizing the role of community and historical context in forming conscious experience.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Consciousness has social origins, emerging from interpersonal and cultural contexts rather than solely from neural activity. |
Abstract
The social origins of consciousness.