The maturing science of consciousness.
J R Soc N Z June 26, 2022 DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2022.2090391 via PubMed Central
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractConsciousness, once considered too difficult for scientific study, is now actively investigated across psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, AI, and evolutionary biology. After decades of pessimism, researchers are increasingly optimistic about understanding how and why we are conscious of ourselves and the world.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Consciousness is now a legitimate and actively researched topic across multiple disciplines, with growing optimism about solving its mysteries. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT For most of the twentieth century, consciousness was the elephant in the living room of science – we all knew it was there, but no‐one wanted to talk about it. Aspirations for a science of consciousness faced an array of formidable philosophical, theoretical and methodological challenges, thought by many to be insurmountable. In recent decades, pessimism has been replaced by increasing optimism, as scholars and researchers from many fields, including psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, AI and evolutionary biology have focused their trans‐disciplinary efforts on understanding the enigma of how and why we are conscious of ourselves and the world around us.