Philosophy and Science on the Way to Knowing and Making Consciousness
RUDN Journal of Philosophy January 10, 2023 Igor F. Mikhailov 2 citations
Empirical theories of consciousness remain in a pre-paradigmatic stage, so they do not yet pose an existential threat to the philosophy of consciousness, though they demand its attention. The author clarifies the ambiguous term 'consciousness', separating aspects already open to science and technology from those unlikely to be explained away. The relationship between philosophy and science is analyzed through their inner dynamics of theories and ontologies, showing that the distinction between them is more important for science. Philosophical schemas claiming to be 'experiential' must meet criteria for empirical theories to explain anything. The author adds a pragmatic criterion: a winning theory must enable production and control of artificial conscious devices.