Consciousness Multiplied
Philosophy and Phenomenological Research July 13, 2026 James H. McIntyre
A single human brain may contain numerous conscious minds at once, each as vivid and real as our own, according to the multiplicity hypothesis. The argument holds that many of the brain's proper parts themselves fulfill the neural correlates of consciousness, challenging the deeply rooted assumption that one brain equals one mind. This conclusion follows from principles linking human consciousness to neural activity that scientifically minded people have good reasons to accept. The article considers several objections but finds the case for multiplicity resilient.