Can Neurobiology Teach us Anything about Consciousness? Patricia Smith Churchland
University of California, San Diego
Salk Institute I Introduction: Human nervous systems display an impressive roster of complex capacities, including the following: perceiving, learning and remembering, planning, deciding, performing actions, as well as the capacities to be awake, fall asleep, dream, pay attention, and be aware. Although neuroscience has advanced spectacularly in this century, we still do not understand in satisfying detail how any capacity in the list emerges from networks of neurons. We do not completely understand how humans can be conscious, but neither do we understand how they can walk, run, climb trees or pole vault. Nor, when one stands back from it all, is awareness intrinsically more mysterious than motor control. Balanced against the disappointment that full understanding eludes us still, is cautious optimism, based chiefly on the nature of the progress behind us. For cognitive neuroscience has already passed well beyond what skeptical philosophers once considered possible, and continuing progress seems likely. In assuming that neuroscience can reveal the physical mechanisms subserving psychological functions, I am assuming that it is indeed the brain that performs those functions that capacities of the humans mind are in fact capacities of the human brain. This assumption and its corollary rejection of Cartesian souls or spirits or "spooky stuff" existing separately from the brain is no whimsy. On the contrary, it is a highly probable hypothesis, based on evidence currently available from physics, chemistry, neuroscience and evolutionary biology. In saying that physicalism is an hypothesis, I mean to emphasize its status as an empirical matter. I do not assume that it is a question of conceptual analysis, a priori insight, or religious faith, though I appreciate that not all philosophers are at one with me on this point. | |
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