The Location of Consciousness

Abstract

Consciousness*, as I call it in Chapter 4, is everywhere, residing as it does wherever there is a quark or some other fundamental entity. But what about consciousness? Evidently, consciousness requires a brain. If creatures with brains had never evolved, there would have been no such thing as consciousness. But where in the brain is consciousness located? A proposal by Crick and Koch is considered, as is one by Damasio. It is shown that a puzzle arises for both of their proposals and a reconciliation offered. The further question of which brains support consciousness is also addressed. It is argued that honeybees and fruit flies are conscious but leeches and box jellyfish are not.