Toward a true understanding of consciousness: the explanatory power behind the non-physicalist paradigm.

A theory of consciousness (TOC) should be judged by its predictive and explanatory power. Physicalism, which treats consciousness as reducible to physical processes, can achieve high predictive power but fails to explain why conscious states arise. Non-physicalism, which treats consciousness as fundamental and irreducible, offers clear advantages for developing a powerful TOC. The analysis makes a strong case for a paradigm shift from physicalism to non-physicalism, which would not discard neuroscientific theories but reinterpret neurophysiological indicators of consciousness within a broader context.

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Abstract

This article addresses the question of which metaphysical paradigm is most suitable for gaining a deeper understanding of our conscious inner life and bringing us closer to a powerful theory of consciousness (TOC). To answer this question, the key characteristics of a strong theory, namely, predictive and explanatory power, are used to evaluate various paradigms. The predictive power of a TOC relies primarily on how accurately it can state the conditions under which a physical system is capable of forming conscious states, whereas the explanatory power of a TOC reflects the degree to which the theory makes it intelligible why conscious states are formed under the stated conditions. It proves expedient for the evaluation to divide the paradigms into two classes: physicalism and non-physicalism. From the physicalist point of view, consciousness is reducible to the physical, while non-physicalism is predicated on the assumption that consciousness is fundamental and irreducible to physical properties. The analysis reveals that a TOC built on the physicalist paradigm has the potential to achieve high predictive power but fails to unfold explanatory power. It is demonstrated that the non-physicalist paradigm has clear advantages over physicalism when it comes to developing a powerful TOC. These findings make a strong case for initiating a paradigm shift that replaces the prevailing physicalist stance with a non-physicalist approach. Such a paradigm shift does not make the prominent neuroscientific theories obsolete. Rather, it places these theories in a broader context and entails a reinterpretation of the neurophysiological indicators of consciousness.