Event Timeslots (1)
Thursday
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It has been thirty years since Ned Block introduced the highly influential distinction between access and phenomenal consciousness into consciousness research. The goal of this seminar is to trace the historical emergence of the distinction, examining its role in shaping contemporary theories of consciousness and its impact on empirical research programs in cognitive science and neuroscience. Central questions include whether access and phenomenal consciousness genuinely pick out distinct phenomena, how the distinction interacts with issues of introspection, attention, and reportability, and whether it remains a fruitful framework for theorizing about consciousness today. Readings will cover both ‘classic’ texts in the debate between Block and his critics, as well as experimental reports from psychology and theoretical perspectives that aim to dissolve or revise the distinction. Students will engage critically with these debates through discussion, weekly short responses to papers, and a final essay project evaluating the future of the access/phenomenal framework.
Literatur: Full list of readings will be made available via Moodle. Below are exemplars of introductory readings:
Block, N. (1995). On a consciouson about a function of consciousness. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 18, 227-287. https://www.nedblock.us/papers/1995_Function.pdf
Schlicht, T. (2012). Phenomenal consciousness, attention and accessibility. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences. 11, 309–334. https://philarchive.org/archive/SCHPCA-5
