Jakob Hohwy
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780262029346
- eISBN:
- 9780262330213
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262029346.003.0012
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
Jakob Hohwy seeks to recover an approach to consciousness from a general theory of brain function, namely the prediction error minimization theory. The way this theory applies to mental and ...
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Jakob Hohwy seeks to recover an approach to consciousness from a general theory of brain function, namely the prediction error minimization theory. The way this theory applies to mental and developmental disorder demonstrates its relevance to consciousness. The resulting view is discussed in relation to a contemporary theory of consciousness, namely, the idea that conscious perception depends on Bayesian metacognition which is also supported by considerations of psychopathology. This Bayesian theory is first disconnected from the higher-order thought theory, and then, via a prediction error conception of action, connected instead to the global workspace theory. Considerations of mental and developmental disorder therefore show that a very general theory of brain function is relevant to explaining the structure of conscious perception. Furthermore, Hohwy argues that this theory can unify two contemporary approaches to consciousness in a move that seeks to elucidate the fundamental mechanism for the selection of representational content into consciousness.Less
Jakob Hohwy seeks to recover an approach to consciousness from a general theory of brain function, namely the prediction error minimization theory. The way this theory applies to mental and developmental disorder demonstrates its relevance to consciousness. The resulting view is discussed in relation to a contemporary theory of consciousness, namely, the idea that conscious perception depends on Bayesian metacognition which is also supported by considerations of psychopathology. This Bayesian theory is first disconnected from the higher-order thought theory, and then, via a prediction error conception of action, connected instead to the global workspace theory. Considerations of mental and developmental disorder therefore show that a very general theory of brain function is relevant to explaining the structure of conscious perception. Furthermore, Hohwy argues that this theory can unify two contemporary approaches to consciousness in a move that seeks to elucidate the fundamental mechanism for the selection of representational content into consciousness.
M. A. Bouman
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262518420
- eISBN:
- 9780262314213
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262518420.003.0021
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, Research and Theory
This chapter presents a review of the development of quantum-statistical theories for visual functions such as absolute thresholds for steady and moving targets, contrast thresholds, visual acuity, ...
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This chapter presents a review of the development of quantum-statistical theories for visual functions such as absolute thresholds for steady and moving targets, contrast thresholds, visual acuity, adaptation, and color identification. Soon after the corpuscular nature of light was discovered by Planck, the minimum perceptible amount of light for human vision was compared with the energy of the quantum of light. At about the same time as the discovery of the quantum, fairly accurate measurements were made by different investigators of this minimum perceptible. It is argued in this chapter that, for each state of adaptation, the nerve system in the retina sets an organizational pattern through which action potentials can find their way to the higher centers. Instability phenomena in color identification and dependence of visual acuity on brightness are also discussed with reference to quantum-statistical approaches.Less
This chapter presents a review of the development of quantum-statistical theories for visual functions such as absolute thresholds for steady and moving targets, contrast thresholds, visual acuity, adaptation, and color identification. Soon after the corpuscular nature of light was discovered by Planck, the minimum perceptible amount of light for human vision was compared with the energy of the quantum of light. At about the same time as the discovery of the quantum, fairly accurate measurements were made by different investigators of this minimum perceptible. It is argued in this chapter that, for each state of adaptation, the nerve system in the retina sets an organizational pattern through which action potentials can find their way to the higher centers. Instability phenomena in color identification and dependence of visual acuity on brightness are also discussed with reference to quantum-statistical approaches.
