** Toward a science of consciousness 2004 **
"Performances of Self-Awareness used to explain the Evolutionary Advantages of Consciousness "
Christophe Menant (crmenant[at]free.fr) - Short paper - (Printable version).
Short
Abstract:
Evidencing an evolutionary explanation to consciousness has so far proven to
be very difficult. We consider here an earlier stage in evolution (self-awareness)
and introduce evolutionary advantages attached to this stage that appeared millions
of years before consciousness during evolution. At level of self-awareness,
we show that goup life with identification to suffering conspecific produces
anxiety, and that anxiety limitation induces development of self-awareness,
group life and emotions, with empathy, imitation and language as evolutionary
advantages. We consider that resulting acceleration of self awareness development
led to self-consciousness.
More work is to be done, and consequences of the proposed model are introduced:
Consciousness and anxiety within great apes and dolphins, autism as resulting
of problems with anxiety limitation, anxiety limitation as a base for a phylogenesis
of emotions. Completion of model is also introduced with question about coverage
of phenomenal-consciousness and access-consciousness.
Evolution
of Self-Awareness Toward Anxiety and Consciousness
Starting point in evolution: Self-Awareness. (Non-human primates, mirror
neurons, group life, identification to conspecific).
Process:
Identification to sufferings of conspecifics produces anxiety within subject.
Anxiety limitation induces development of self-awareness, group life and emotions,
with empathy, imitation and language as evolutionary advantages.
Evolution Trend: Acceleration of development of these performances due
to positive feedback on self-awareness. Self-consciousness as a by product of
self-awareness evolution.
Summary in Fig 1. Details in Fig 2.
Conclusion
and continuation:
Evolutionary advantages of Self-Awareness have been highlighted. Self-Consciousness
can then be looked at as a by-product of Self-Awareness evolution.
Process steps and consequences are to be analysed in more detail. See details
on Fig 2.
