The biological function of consciousness
Open accessAbstract
This research is an investigation of whether consciousness-one's ongoing experience-influences one's behavior and, if so, how. Analysis of the components, structure, properties, and temporal sequences of consciousness has established that, (1) contrary to one's intuitive understanding, consciousness does not have an active, executive role in determining behavior; (2) consciousness does have a biological function; and (3) consciousness is solely information in various forms. Consciousness is associated with a flexible response mechanism (FRM) for decision-making, planning, and generally responding in nonautomatic ways. The FRM generates responses by manipulating information and, to function effectively, its data input must be restricted to task-relevant information. The properties of consciousness correspond to the various input requirements of the FRM; and when important information is missing from consciousness, functions of the FRM are adversely affected; both of which indicate that consciousness is the input data to the FRM. Qualitative and quantitative information (shape, size, location, etc.) are incorporated into the input data by a qualia array of colors, sounds, and so on, which makes the input conscious. This view of the biological function of consciousness provides an explanation why we have experiences; why we have emotional and other feelings, and why their loss is associated with poor decision-making; why blindsight patients do not spontaneously initiate responses to events in their blind field; why counter-habitual actions are only possible when the intended action is in mind; and the reason for inattentional blindness.
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The modular/constitutive model accords with Pierson and Trout's identification of volitional control of action as the core function of consciousness.
“This accords with Pierson and Trout (2017), who identify volitional control of action as the core function of consciousness [similarly, the flexible response mechanism of Earl (2014)]”
From The function(s) of consciousness revisited: insights from a modular/constitutive model using vision as a test case (2026) · cites this paper as Earl (2014)
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Information generation as a functional basis of consciousness
Kanai, R., Chang, A., Yu, Y., Magrans de Abril, I., Biehl, M., & Guttenberg, N. (2019) · Neuroscience of Consciousness · doi:10.1093/nc/niz016 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
A voice without a mouth no more: The neurobiology of language and consciousness
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Ten Testable Properties of Consciousness
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The structure of mind and the role of consciousness.
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Self-citationLacalli, T. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1648930 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Lacalli, T. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1829430
“…and Trout (2017), who identify volitional control of action as the core function of consciousness [similarly, the flexible response mechanism of Earl (2014)], but also with current ideas that see language as an extension of gestural control (Arbib, 2005; Gentilucci and Corballis, 2006) with a…”
- Authors
- Earl, B.
- Affiliations
- Monash University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Earl, Brian
- Venue
- Frontiers in Psychology
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2014-08-05
- Volume
- 5
- Pages
- 697-697
- ISSN
- 1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4122207
- OpenAlex
- W2070159864
- Cited by
- 117
- References
- 183
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 1.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Monash University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Free Will and Agency
- Keywords
- consciousness, subjective experience, decision-making, planning, qualia, task-relevant information, blindsight, inattentional blindness, emotions and decision-making
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