Philosophy Compass
May 28, 2023
S. Clarke, Jacob Beck
11 citations
The distinction between perception and cognition is central to many debates in philosophy and cognitive science, but its actual basis remains unclear. This introductory article summarizes recent work on the question, first considering the possibility that the perception-cognition border should be eliminated from scientific ontology. It then introduces and critically examines five positive approaches to marking such a border, framed in terms of phenomenology, revisability, modularity, format, and stimulus-dependence.
Philosophy Compass
October 1, 2012
John Spackman
5 citations
Three models for what contemporary philosophy of mind can learn from Buddhist thought are assessed. Alan Wallace's model claims that meditation reveals a primordial consciousness from which both individual consciousness and the physical world emerge. Owen Flanagan's model accepts only Buddhist insights compatible with physicalism, focusing on moral psychology and spirituality. Evan Thompson's phenomenological approach offers a non-dualistic account dissolving the explanatory gap between mind and body. Each model faces significant challenges. A different model derived from the Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna is proposed, showing potential to resolve challenges facing contemporary theories of consciousness.
Philosophy Compass
September 1, 2025
Daniel Villiger
The reemergence of serotonergic psychedelics in clinical research and practice has generated many debates in bioethics. This paper provides an overview of key issues in the emerging field of psychedelic ethics, organized into four categories: the implementation and execution of psychedelic research and practice, the ethics of belief as applied to psychedelic-assisted therapy, discrimination and injustice in psychedelic research and practice, and potential consequences from the expansion of psychedelic research and possible future approval of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The paper shows that psychedelic ethics has become a thriving area within bioethics, essential for grounding rapid clinical developments in robust ethical reflection.
Philosophy Compass
July 1, 2013
Dustin Stokes
Perception and cognition are typically considered distinct: seeing differs from believing. The question of whether beliefs and thoughts can directly influence what one sees is known as the cognitive penetration of perception. This paper analyzes the phenomenon, its theoretical implications for philosophy of science, epistemology, philosophy of mind, and cognitive science, and reviews experimental results and their interpretations. It concludes by proposing constraints for analyses and definitions of cognitive penetrability.
Philosophy Compass
May 1, 2007
Jakob Hohwy
The search for the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) is the starting point for the science of consciousness. This work explains the concept of NCC and provides examples of related research. It then examines how different conceptions of consciousness—such as the distinction between access and phenomenal consciousness, the difference between individual conscious states and a unified conscious field, and phenomenological approaches—affect the search for NCC. Finally, it considers what discovering the NCC might imply for the metaphysics of consciousness, especially the theory that conscious states are identical to brain states.