?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=A+physiologically+based+approach+to+consciousness&rft.creator=coward%2C+l+andrew&rft.subject=Behavioral+Neuroscience&rft.subject=Cognitive+Psychology&rft.subject=Evolutionary+Psychology&rft.description=The+nature+of+a+scientific+theory+of+consciousness+is+defined+by+comparison+with+scientific+theories+in+the+physical+sciences.+The+differences+between+physical%2C+algorithmic+and+functional+complexity+are+highlighted%2C+and+the+architecture+of+a+functionally+complex+electronic+system+created+to+relate+system+operations+to+device+operations+is+compared+with+a+scientific+theory.+It+is+argued+that+there+are+two+qualitatively+different+types+of+functional+architecture%2C+and+that+electronic+systems+have+the+instruction+architecture+based+on+exchange+of+unambiguous+information+between+functional+components%2C+and+biological+brains+have+been+constrained+by+natural+selection+pressures+into+the+recommendation+architecture+based+on+exchange+of+ambiguous+information.+The+mechanisms+by+which+a+recommendation+architecture+could+heuristically+define+its+own+functionality+are+described%2C+and+compared+with+memory+in+biological+brains.+Dream+sleep+is+interpreted+as+the+mechanism+for+minimizing+information+exchange+between+functional+components+in+a+heuristically+defined+functional+system.+The+functional+role+of+consciousness+of+self+is+discussed%2C+and+the+route+by+which+the+experience+of+that+function+described+at+the++psychological+level+can+be+related+to+physiology+through+a+functional+architecture+is+outlined.&rft.publisher=Pergamon&rft.date=1999-12&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F2299%2F3%2FConcApproach.pdf&rft.identifier=++coward%2C+l+andrew++(1999)+A+physiologically+based+approach+to+consciousness.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F2299%2F