An ongoing controversy in philosophy is whether or not we can provide an evolutionary account of consciousness. Can we say that consciousness (i.e., our subjective phenomenal experience) evolved for a ...

Although scientific research about consciousness has enjoyed a boom in the past two decades, one central question remains unanswered: What is the function of consciousness? Why did it evolve at all?

The origins of consciousness have been debated by philosophers for centuries. Each conscious person has a sense of "being me," which invariably gives rise to the question of where that sense ...

What gives rise to human consciousness? Are some parts of the brain more important than others? Scientists began tackling these questions in more depth about 35 years ago. Researchers have made ...

New studies suggest consciousness can't be judged solely by behavior, whether it's a chatbot discussing philosophy or a bee searching for nectar. Researchers are increasingly focusing on the internal ...