Consciousness is an enigma, perhaps the greatest enigma of philosophy of science. It can be described as a multilevel phenomenon, where transition (from unconsciousness to consciousness) is not a compromise OFF/ON in neuronal activity, but involves a complex change in nerve function, which is mediated by the environment. For the analysis of consciousness, the Australian philosopher David J. Chalmers distinguishes the easy problem of the hard problem of consciousness. The easy problem to analyze issues such as discrimination between sensory stimuli, the integration of information to guide behavior, verbalization of internal states, the integration of sensory information with past experience, how to focus attention, and what distinguishes waking from sleep. On the other hand, the "hard problem" of consciousness is to explain how the physical brain gives rise to consciousness. This analysis deals with the latter.
Biomedical Reviews 2011; 22: 85-89.
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