E-LOGOS 2008, 15(1):1-24

Outline of a General Ontology for Cousciousness Research

Silvia Galikova

Keywords: consciousness, introspection, ontology, natural, reduction, explanation, evolution

Lack of a coherent general starting point in consciousness studies is a major obstacle in explaining consciousness. I argue that consciousness considered as a capacity of a living organism is a fruitful explanandum. Consciousness is a reducible third person and first person phenomenon. It is existentially dependent on the activity of a nervous systém (brain) profoundly shaped by the socio-cultural environment. This paper rejects theoretical usefulness of ontological and epistemological gaps between first person and third person approaches on consciousness. Treating consciousness as a natural phenomenon open to empirical research is a necessary prerequisite of any systematic theory of consciousness.

Prepublished online: June 3, 2008; Published: June 1, 2008  Show citation

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Galikova, S. (2008). Outline of a General Ontology for Cousciousness Research. E-LOGOS, 15(1), 1-24
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