Consciousness: The Point of View of Process Philosophy and Genetic Structuralism
Balkan Journal of Philosophy October 16, 2019 F. Riffert
Whitehead's process philosophy offers a promising basis for solving the hard problem of consciousness by showing how the concept of consciousness is anchored in his metaphysical theory. Comparing Whitehead's speculative account with Piaget's empirical research results reveals that their positions on consciousness overlap widely, providing indirect empirical support for Whitehead's philosophy. At the two points where they deviate, Whitehead holds the more plausible position. This investigation confirms William Seager's suggestion that more attention should be drawn to Whitehead's process philosophy when addressing both the hard and weak problems of consciousness. Two topics discussed from Whitehead's perspective are learning and consciousness, and artificial consciousness.