Article/Publication Details

Phenomenal Consciousness as an Evolutionary Invention: Explaining the Positive Function of Illusionism

(Phenomenal Consciousness as an Evolutionary Invention: Explaining the Positive Function of Illusionism)
Filozofia, 2024, vol. 79, No 2, pp. 195 - 211.
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The article’s main objective is to analyse the positive aspect of illusionism and the so-called “illusion problem” that lies at its heart – the problem of explaining the origin and causes of the illusion of phenomenal consciousness. I argue that a key aspect of the illusion problem is explaining the function of the illusion of phenomenal consciousness. Some authors suggest that the illusion probably has no particular function but is a by-product of introspection, whereas others have pointed out that it has played an important role in the evolution of consciousness. I focus on Nicholas Humphrey’s evolutionary theory of consciousness, “phenomenal surrealism,” in emphasizing this crucial part of the illusionist program.

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