Additional Resources for Sparse Theories of Phenomenal Consciousness

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 125-147
Author(s):  
Christopher F. Masciari

The phenomenal overflow debate is a debate about the richness of phenomenal consciousness. There are two candidate views: the rich view and the sparse view. The rich view says phenomenal consciousness outstrips access consciousness and the contents of working memory. The sparse view denies this. Moreover, according to some conceptions of the sparse view, the subjective impression of richness depends on scene statistics and the refrigerator-light illusion. The purpose of this paper is to show there are additional resources available to the sparse view in accommodating intuitions of richness that have yet to be fully appreciated by participants in the debate. To this end, research pertaining to feature binding and activity-silent working memory will be discussed.

2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taiji Ueno ◽  
Richard J. Allen ◽  
Alan D. Baddeley ◽  
Graham J. Hitch ◽  
Satoru Saito

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 500-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler Burge

AbstractInference-to-best-explanation from psychological evidence supports the view that phenomenal consciousness in perceptual exposures occurs before limited aspects of that consciousness are retained in working memory. Independently of specific neurological theory, psychological considerations indicate that machinery producing phenomenal consciousness is independent of machinery producing working memory, hence independent of access to higher cognitive capacities.


2018 ◽  
Vol 373 (1755) ◽  
pp. 20170346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesper Mogensen ◽  
Morten Overgaard

In the present communication, phenomenal consciousness, access consciousness and the closely related concept of working memory are presented in the context of a neurocognitive model—the REF (reorganization of elementary functions) framework. The REF framework is based on connectionist networks within which the ‘units’ are advanced processing modules called elementary functions (EFs). In this framework, the focus is on dynamically changeable ‘strategies’—based on reorganizations of the connectivity between EFs—rather than on the more traditional ‘cognitive functions’. The background for the REF framework and especially how the neural correlate of consciousness is understood within these models is summarized. According to the REF framework, phenomenal consciousness cannot ‘overflow’ availability of information for action. Phenomenal consciousness may, however, overflow working memory because working memory in the present context is seen as a surface phenomenon reflecting underlying dynamic strategies—influenced by both experience and situational factors. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Perceptual consciousness and cognitive access'.


Cortex ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 107 ◽  
pp. 50-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean J. Fallon ◽  
Rozemarijn M. Mattiesing ◽  
Nina Dolfen ◽  
Sanjay G. Manohar ◽  
Masud Husain

2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 429-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascale Piolino ◽  
Cécile Coste ◽  
Pénélope Martinelli ◽  
Anne-Laure Macé ◽  
Peggy Quinette ◽  
...  

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