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Conscious vision and the perils of Cartesian materialism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2026

Susan Blackmore Open the ORCID record for Susan Blackmore [Opens in a new window]
Susan Blackmore*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK sue@susanblackmore.uk www.susanblackmore.uk
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

The authors make common assumptions that I reject: that consciousness has functions distinct from those of the brain processes on which it depends, that there is a moment at which consciousness happens, and that consciousness itself can be measured. This leads to Cartesian materialism and asking such unanswerable questions as when and why consciousness evolved. An alternative view is proposed.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e168
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

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