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The consciousness wars: can scientists ever agree on how the mind works?

There are dozens of theories of how the brain produces conscious experience, and a new type of study is testing some of them head-to-head.
  1. Mariana Lenharo
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Cartoon illustration of scientists exploring a brain-shaped maze.

Illustration: David Parkins

Neuroscientist Lucia Melloni didn’t expect to be reminded of her parents’ divorce when she attended a meeting about consciousness research in 2018. But, much like her parents, the assembled academics couldn’t agree on anything.

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Nature 625, 438-440 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00107-7

Updates & Corrections

  • Correction 25 January 2024: The graphic in this feature incorrectly stated that integrated information theory predicts that any complex system could in principle be conscious. In fact, the system needs to have the right kind of information structure, and an AI would not meet this criterion.

References

  1. Fleming, S. M. et al. Preprint at PsyArXiv https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/zsr78 (2023).

  2. Crick, F. & Koch, C. Semin. Neurosci. 2, 263–275 (1990).

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  3. Chalmers, D. J. J. Conscious. Stud. 2, 200–219 (1995).

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  4. Cogitate Consortium. Preprint at bioRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.23.546249 (2023).

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