On the evolution of phenomenal consciousness

Summary

The ability to experience sensations like pain, pleasure, and color isn't unique to humans - many animals share this fundamental aspect of consciousness. This research explores how our capacity for conscious experience evolved through natural selection. The findings suggest consciousness serves as a vital labeling system in the brain's neural circuits (q-bio.NC), helping organisms evaluate and discriminate between different mental experiences. Rather than being a mere byproduct, consciousness appears to be an adaptive trait that enhanced survival.

Abstract

A number of concepts are included in the term 'consciousness'. We choose to concentrate here on phenomenal consciousness, the process through which we are able to experience aspects of our environment or of our physical state. We probably share this aspect of consciousness with many animals which, like us, feel pain or pleasure and experience colours, sounds, flavours, etc. Since phenomenal consciousness is a feature of some living species, we should be able to account for it in terms of natural selection. Does it have an adaptive function, or is it an epiphenomenon ? We shall give arguments to reject the second alternative. We propose that phenomenal properties of consciousness are involved in a labelling process that allows us to discriminate and to evaluate mental representations. We also discuss to what extent consciousness as such has been selected for this labelling function.

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