The Evolution of Consciousness
Euan Macphail
Abstract
Are non-human animals conscious? When do babies begin to feel pain? What function is served by consciousness? What evidence could resolve these issues? These questions are tackled by exploring psychologists' findings on topics as diverse as: animal cognition, unconscious learning and perception in humans, infantile amnesia, theory of mind in primates, and the nature of pleasure and pain. Experimental results are placed in theoretical context by tracing the development of concepts of consciousness in animals and humans (from Plato to Penrose). Two themes emerge: first, the capacity for language ... More
Keywords: non-human animal consciousness, human consciousness, animal cognition, unconscious learning, human perception, infantile amnesia, Plato, Penrose, language, functionalist theory
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 1998 | Print ISBN-13: 9780198503248 |
| Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: March 2012 | DOI:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198503248.001.0001 |
