Philosophical Colloquium

Dr. Matthias Michel (New York University):

“You don’t know what you’re missing: Consciousness, Prefrontal Cortex, and Anosognosia”

05.05.2021

5-7 p.m.

Zoom: https://ovgu.zoom.us/j/91557878202#success

Abstract:

Prefrontalists hold that the prefrontal cortex is relevant for consciousness. Localists disagree. A common argument against prefrontalism is that lesions to the prefrontal cortex do not seem to impair consciousness. In this article, I hold that cases of allegedly complete prefrontal lesions cannot settle the debate between localists and prefrontalists. Indeed, both sides of the debate should predict that patients will seem unconscious following such lesions. To the extent that the patients seem to consciously respond to stimuli, both accounts should theoretically interpret it to imply that the lesions aren’t complete. In the case of partial lesions, what I call ‘phenomenal anosognosia’ is a serious possibility: patients could remain unaware of significant changes in their conscious experiences following the lesions. So their consciousness could be impaired and yet they may not report it as such.

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