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Looking ahead: Sensory horizons and the science of consciousness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2026

Stephen M. Fleming Open the ORCID record for Stephen M. Fleming [Opens in a new window]  and
Matthias Michel Open the ORCID record for Matthias Michel [Opens in a new window]
Stephen M. Fleming*
Affiliation:
Department of Experimental Psychology and Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK stephen.fleming@ucl.ac.uk Program for Brain, Mind and Consciousness, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Matthias Michel
Affiliation:
MIT: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA mmichel@mit.edu
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Our response to commentaries further clarifies the links between visual postdictive phenomena, conscious experience, reality monitoring, and planning. We also engage with suggestions about the limits and generality of our conclusions for other sensory modalities and visually guided behavior in aquatic organisms. We conclude that the role of sensory horizons in visual consciousness offers powerful constraints on theory and generates novel testable hypotheses for consciousness science.

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Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e197
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© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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