EVOLUTIONARY EPISTEMOLOGY AND COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY OF CONSCIOUSNESS, OR WHY DOES A MAN NEED MIND?
- Authors: Agafonov A.Y.1
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Affiliations:
- the Dept. of General Psychology and Developmental Psychology, Samara State University, Samara, 443011, Russian Federation.
- Issue: Vol 19, No 5 (2013)
- Pages: 165-178
- Section: Articles
- URL: https://journals.ssau.ru/hpp/article/view/3397
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.18287/2542-0445-2013-19-5-165-178
- ID: 3397
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Abstract
In the article the possible solutions to the problem of subjective evidence of conscious experiences are discussed. It is shown that it is necessary for cognitive theory of mind to answer the question: «Why do we need awareness, though many, if not all mental operations can be performed efficiently in the «absolute darkness» of unconscious mental activity?» The answer to this question is closely connected with discussion of place of consciousness in physical reality. What is the objective necessity of subjective experiences? Why is qualitative knowledge needed? As the heuristics the main provisions of Popper’s evolutionary epistemology and conceptual formalism of quantum mechanics are used.
About the authors
A. Y. Agafonov
the Dept. of General Psychology and Developmental Psychology, Samara State University, Samara, 443011, Russian Federation.
Author for correspondence.
Email: morenov.sv@ssau.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1825-0097