How the hierarchical organization of the brain and increasing cognitive abilities may result in consciousness

Authors
Citation
Bm. Spruijt, How the hierarchical organization of the brain and increasing cognitive abilities may result in consciousness, ANIM WELFAR, 10, 2001, pp. S77-S87
Citations number
42
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences
Journal title
ANIMAL WELFARE
ISSN journal
0962-7286 → ACNP
Volume
10
Year of publication
2001
Supplement
S
Pages
S77 - S87
Database
ISI
SICI code
0962-7286(2001)10:<S77:HTHOOT>2.0.ZU;2-#
Abstract
Defining perception, awareness, consciousness and reflexive or self-reflexi ve consciousness is difficult. I will not finger on definitions of fuzzy co ncepts but will attempt to put forward evidence for the rationale that awar eness is likely to emerge as a consequence of how the brain processes infor mation. Efficiency in information processing has resulted in a limited numb er of preferential (motivational) states of the brain and, in fact, of the whole organism. In addition, animals have the ability to internally represe nt external conditions and, through interactions with the motivational stat e, generate expectations, It is argued that optimal decision-making requires that possible sequences of behaviours each activate their associated neuronal networks representing cue- and context-related information. Prior to the initiation of an action , the consequences of each possible scenario are estimated An efficient ani mal must have the ability to anticipate, weight and choose. This weighting occurs at a hierarchically higher level and results in signals which posses s a coordinative function in activating the appropriate motivational state, response selection, activation of associated networks and maintenance of a ttention. Higher cognitive executive centres perceive and recognize such signals and integrate ongoing behaviour with internal representations about the past an d expectations within the context of the signal induced state. Humans exper ience these simultaneously-occurring processes as awareness. The nature of the subjective experience may vary from an emotional state to reflexive con sciousness depending on the cognitive abilities of the species and the stag e of development and the level of arousal in the individual.