On the Time of Peripheral Sensations and Voluntary Motor Actions

Abstract

Libet's notions of backwards referral for peripheral sensations and unconscious cerebral initiative accompanying voluntary motor action are explored. It is proposed that the unexpected discrepancy between the time at which a peripheral sensation is experienced and the time at which cerebral neuronal adequacy underlying the sensation is attained is due to fundamentally different forms of temporality which are applicable to experiential and neurophysiological reference frames. A similar proposal is made for the unexpected discrepancy in the time of a neurophysiological readiness potential accompanying a voluntary motor action and the time of onset of the intention accompanying the action. Correspondences between experiential and neurophysiological levels of peripheral sensations and voluntary motor actions indicated by Libet's empirical evidence are shown to be adaptive if an individual's experience is important in his interaction with the environment.