What Blindsight Means for the Neural Correlates of Consciousness
Journal of Consciousness Studies November 20, 2021 Michael Barkasi
Many scientists and philosophers assume that what we perceive is identical to what our brain's neural activity represents. This paper challenges that assumption by examining type-2 blindsight, a condition where people can respond to visual stimuli without consciously seeing them. The author argues that in such cases, the person's experience does not have the same content as the neural correlates—the brain represents the stimulus properties, but the person does not experience them. This suggests that the relationship between experience and neural content is more complex than simple identity, even if a deep connection exists.