An ESR Framework for the Study of Consciousness
I will argue that, in an interdisciplinary study of consciousness, epistemic structural realism (ESR) can offer a feasible philosophical background for the study of consciousness and its associated neurophysiological phenomena in neuroscience and cognitive science while also taking into account the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Entropy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/23/1/97 |
| _version_ | 1797413226189684736 |
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| author | Diana Stanciu |
| author_facet | Diana Stanciu |
| author_sort | Diana Stanciu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | I will argue that, in an interdisciplinary study of consciousness, epistemic structural realism (ESR) can offer a feasible philosophical background for the study of consciousness and its associated neurophysiological phenomena in neuroscience and cognitive science while also taking into account the mathematical structures involved in this type of research. Applying the ESR principles also to the study of the neurophysiological phenomena associated with free will (or rather conscious free choice) and with various alterations of consciousness (AOCs) generated by various pathologies such as epilepsy would add explanatory value to the matter. This interdisciplinary approach would be in tune with Quine’s well known idea that philosophy is not simple conceptual analysis but is continuous with science and actually represents an abstract branch of the empirical research. The ESR could thus resonate with scientific models of consciousness such as the global neuronal workspace model (inspired by the global workspace theory—GWT) and the integrated information theory (IIT) model. While structural realism has already been employed in physics or biology, its application as a meta-theory contextualising and relating various scientific findings on consciousness is new indeed. Out of the two variants: ontic structural realism (OSR) and epistemic structural realism (ESR), the latter can be considered more suitable for the study of consciousness and its associated neurophysiological phenomena because it removes the pressure of the still unanswered ‘What is consciousness?’ ontological question and allows us to concentrate instead on the ‘What can we know about consciousness?’ epistemological question. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:14:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fc8d0c67142c4f20b1de440833b29151 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1099-4300 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:14:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Entropy |
| spelling | doaj.art-fc8d0c67142c4f20b1de440833b291512023-12-03T12:46:51ZengMDPI AGEntropy1099-43002021-01-012319710.3390/e23010097An ESR Framework for the Study of ConsciousnessDiana Stanciu0Romanian Young Academy, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, RomaniaI will argue that, in an interdisciplinary study of consciousness, epistemic structural realism (ESR) can offer a feasible philosophical background for the study of consciousness and its associated neurophysiological phenomena in neuroscience and cognitive science while also taking into account the mathematical structures involved in this type of research. Applying the ESR principles also to the study of the neurophysiological phenomena associated with free will (or rather conscious free choice) and with various alterations of consciousness (AOCs) generated by various pathologies such as epilepsy would add explanatory value to the matter. This interdisciplinary approach would be in tune with Quine’s well known idea that philosophy is not simple conceptual analysis but is continuous with science and actually represents an abstract branch of the empirical research. The ESR could thus resonate with scientific models of consciousness such as the global neuronal workspace model (inspired by the global workspace theory—GWT) and the integrated information theory (IIT) model. While structural realism has already been employed in physics or biology, its application as a meta-theory contextualising and relating various scientific findings on consciousness is new indeed. Out of the two variants: ontic structural realism (OSR) and epistemic structural realism (ESR), the latter can be considered more suitable for the study of consciousness and its associated neurophysiological phenomena because it removes the pressure of the still unanswered ‘What is consciousness?’ ontological question and allows us to concentrate instead on the ‘What can we know about consciousness?’ epistemological question.https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/23/1/97consciousness (generic/specific consciousnessphenomenal/access consciousness)free will (conscious free choice)neural correlates of consciousness (NCCs)global workspace theory (GWT)global neuronal workspace |
| spellingShingle | Diana Stanciu An ESR Framework for the Study of Consciousness Entropy consciousness (generic/specific consciousness phenomenal/access consciousness) free will (conscious free choice) neural correlates of consciousness (NCCs) global workspace theory (GWT) global neuronal workspace |
| title | An ESR Framework for the Study of Consciousness |
| title_full | An ESR Framework for the Study of Consciousness |
| title_fullStr | An ESR Framework for the Study of Consciousness |
| title_full_unstemmed | An ESR Framework for the Study of Consciousness |
| title_short | An ESR Framework for the Study of Consciousness |
| title_sort | esr framework for the study of consciousness |
| topic | consciousness (generic/specific consciousness phenomenal/access consciousness) free will (conscious free choice) neural correlates of consciousness (NCCs) global workspace theory (GWT) global neuronal workspace |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/23/1/97 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dianastanciu anesrframeworkforthestudyofconsciousness AT dianastanciu esrframeworkforthestudyofconsciousness |