Ask, and You Shall Receive: A Closer Look on Unsolved Consciousness Issue.
Basic and clinical neuroscience January 1, 2024 Ali Motavalli, Javad Mahmoudi, Alireza Majdi et al. 1 citation
Consciousness lacks a single agreed definition, but recent neuroscience has removed earlier conceptual obstacles. By integrating brain-function findings with philosophical theories, a more comprehensive understanding has emerged. This narrative review covers cultural and historical views of consciousness from ancient to medieval times, introduces key philosophical debates on mind and body, and examines how brain function and connectivity—including neural correlates of consciousness, loop connectivity, and lateralization—correlate with conscious states. The review argues that merging neuroscientific data with philosophical perspectives, such as higher-order, reflexive, and representationalist theories, yields a more unified picture of consciousness.