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Phenomenal Consciousness: A Naturalistic Theory
Abstract
How can phenomenal consciousness exist as an integral part of a physical universe? How can the technicolour phenomenology of our inner lives be created out of the complex neural activities of our brains? Many have despaired of finding answers to these questions; and many have claimed that human consciousness is inherently mysterious. Peter Carruthers argues, on the contrary, that the subjective feel of our experience is fully explicable in naturalistic (scientifically acceptable) terms. Drawing on a variety of interdisciplinary resources, he develops and defends a novel account in terms of higher-order thought. He shows that this can explain away some of the more extravagant claims made about phenomenal consciousness, while substantively explaining the key subjectivity of our experience. Written with characteristic clarity and directness, and surveying a wide range of extant theories, this book is essential reading for all those within philosophy and psychology interested in the problem of consciousness.
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“First, the UAL approach, while compatible with many specific theories about the nature of consciousness, is not compatible with higher-order thought (HOT) theories of the type defended by Carruthers (2000), Rosenthal (2005) and LeDoux (2019).”
From Unlimited Associative Learning and the origins of consciousness: a primer and some predictions (2020) · cites this paper as Carruthers (2000)
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Items 501–600 of 626
Kirk, R. (2005) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/0199285489.003.0006
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Jubien, M. (2010) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199556182.003.0016
Carruthers, P. (2019) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198843702.003.0001
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Papineau, D. (2002) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/0199243824.005.0006
Papineau, D. (2002) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/0199243824.005.0005
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Kreuch, G. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-25097-2_2
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Doyon, M. (2024) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191993527.003.0007
Doyon, M. (2024) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191993527.002.0005
Doyon, M. (2024) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191993527.003.0005
Doyon, M. (2024) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191993527.003.0006
Perceptual Normativity in Merleau-Ponty
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Birch, J. (2024) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191966729.003.0009
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Condiciones de posibilidad de las atribuciones mentales en la díada humano-inteligencia artificial
Fernández, J. M. B. (2024) · Claridades Revista de Filosofía · doi:10.24310/crf.16.2.2024.19290
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Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.002.0007
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0009
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.002.0006
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0010
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0011
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0006
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0001
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0005
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0003
Biographical & Historical Preliminaries
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0002
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0007
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0008
Klein, A. M. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780190085872.003.0004
Precautionary Principle and Post-Mortem Brain Resuscitation
Long, B., & Resnik, D. B. (2025) · Neuroethics · doi:10.1007/s12152-025-09605-5
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Barbieri, A., & Sacchi, E. (2025) · Synthese Library/Synthese library · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-98439-6_9
Moyn, S., & Terretta, M. (2025) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108938839.019
The Rights of Artificial Intelligence
Davies, J. (2025) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108938839.024
Hendry, R. F., & Rossetter, T. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191954887.003.0006
Metadata
- Authors
- Carruthers, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Sheffield (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Carruthers, Peter
- ORCID
- Carruthers, Peter
- Venue
- Cambridge University Press eBooks
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Published
- 2000-09-28
- OpenAlex
- W4205543764
- Cited by
- 632
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 54 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 139 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 16.76
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cambridge University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Free Will and Agency
- Keywords
- phenomenal consciousness, higher-order thought, naturalism, problem of consciousness, subjectivity, mind-brain relationship, neural basis of consciousness
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