{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4403783709","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2409.14545","title":"Why Is Anything Conscious?","display_name":"Why Is Anything Conscious?","publication_year":2024,"publication_date":"2024-09-22","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4403783709","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2409.14545"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2409.14545","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2409.14545","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.14545","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["arxiv","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.14545","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5030698786","display_name":"Michael Timothy Bennett","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6895-8782","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6895-8782"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I118347636","display_name":"Australian National University","ror":"https://ror.org/019wvm592","country_code":"AU","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I118347636"]}],"countries":["AU"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Bennett, Michael Timothy","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Computing , Australian National University , ACT , Australia"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Computing , Australian National University , ACT , Australia","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I118347636"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5026723946","display_name":"Sean Welsh","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1275-6182","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1275-6182"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Welsh, Sean","raw_affiliation_strings":["Engine No.2 , Bardon , Brisbane , QLD , Australia"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Engine No.2 , Bardon , Brisbane , QLD , Australia","institution_ids":[]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5054251497","display_name":"Anna Ciaunica","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2708-8319","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2708-8319"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I141596103","display_name":"University of Lisbon","ror":"https://ror.org/01c27hj86","country_code":"PT","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I141596103"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I45129253","display_name":"University College London","ror":"https://ror.org/02jx3x895","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I124357947","https://openalex.org/I45129253"]}],"countries":["GB","PT"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ciaunica, Anna","raw_affiliation_strings":["Centre for Philosophy of Science , University of Lisbon , Campo Grande , 1749-016 Lisbon , Portugal","Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience , UCL , WC1N 3AZ , London , UK"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Centre for Philosophy of Science , University of Lisbon , Campo Grande , 1749-016 Lisbon , Portugal","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I141596103"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience , UCL , WC1N 3AZ , London , UK","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I45129253"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":3,"institutions_distinct_count":3,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":14,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10258","display_name":"Philosophy and Theoretical Science","score":0.9380000233650208,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1211","display_name":"Philosophy"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10258","display_name":"Philosophy and Theoretical Science","score":0.9380000233650208,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1211","display_name":"Philosophy"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11883","display_name":"Embodied and Extended Cognition","score":0.05790000036358833,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10778","display_name":"Philosophy of Biology and Scientific Explanation","score":0.000699999975040555,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1207","display_name":"History and Philosophy of Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/consciousness","display_name":"consciousness","score":0.8569999933242798},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/valence","display_name":"valence","score":0.656000018119812},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/self-organization","display_name":"self-organization","score":0.6439999938011169},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/natural-selection","display_name":"natural selection","score":0.7820000052452087},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/homeostasis","display_name":"homeostasis","score":0.5920000076293945},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/interoception","display_name":"interoception","score":0.6759999990463257},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/exteroception","display_name":"exteroception","score":0.9959999918937683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/phenomenal-consciousness","display_name":"phenomenal consciousness","score":0.7239999771118164},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/access-consciousness","display_name":"access consciousness","score":0.9959999918937683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/self-awareness","display_name":"self-awareness","score":0.6389999985694885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/reafference","display_name":"reafference","score":0.7409999966621399},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/qualia","display_name":"qualia","score":0.47699999809265137}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.3700779676437378}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2409.14545","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2409.14545","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.14545","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2409.14545","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2409.14545","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2409.14545","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2409.14545","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2409.14545","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.14545","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G3559764156","display_name":"O Self Interactivo - da Auto-Consci\u00eancia \u00e0 Interac\u00e7\u00f5es Sociais em Humanos e Agentes Artificiais","funder_award_id":"PTDC/FER-FIL/4802/2020","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320334779","funder_display_name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320334779","display_name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","ror":"https://ror.org/00snfqn58"}],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W4403783709.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W4403783709.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":27,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W202326255","https://openalex.org/W2028132857","https://openalex.org/W2057161755","https://openalex.org/W2060608798","https://openalex.org/W2072267104","https://openalex.org/W2095596789","https://openalex.org/W2096420172","https://openalex.org/W2117567750","https://openalex.org/W2142251228","https://openalex.org/W2143957355","https://openalex.org/W2148764920","https://openalex.org/W2164446969","https://openalex.org/W2342226325","https://openalex.org/W2501084206","https://openalex.org/W2772878991","https://openalex.org/W2789251871","https://openalex.org/W2936282522","https://openalex.org/W2964595868","https://openalex.org/W3046102661","https://openalex.org/W3189684041","https://openalex.org/W4213314643","https://openalex.org/W4225414052","https://openalex.org/W4281550326","https://openalex.org/W4377043109","https://openalex.org/W4386258417","https://openalex.org/W4386969580","https://openalex.org/W6950380310"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4389274547","https://openalex.org/W4391614026","https://openalex.org/W6910530008","https://openalex.org/W7220946759","https://openalex.org/W7154664023","https://openalex.org/W7163055714","https://openalex.org/W1539372776","https://openalex.org/W7128133903","https://openalex.org/W7002461585","https://openalex.org/W4249078684"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"We":[0,17,61,138,199,213],"tackle":[1],"the":[2,8,91,205,224,231],"problem":[3],"of":[4,56,80,143,169,187,189,204,233,237],"consciousness":[5,217],"by":[6,76],"taking":[7],"naturally":[9],"selected,":[10],"embodied":[11],"organism":[12],"as":[13,26,145],"our":[14],"starting":[15],"point.":[16],"provide":[18],"a":[19,53,146,185,197,234],"formalism":[20],"describing":[21],"how":[22,63],"biological":[23],"systems":[24,86,109],"such":[25,64],"human":[27,241],"bodies":[28],"self-organize":[29],"to":[30,37,93,240],"hierarchically":[31],"interpret":[32],"unlabelled":[33,58],"sensory":[34],"information":[35,81,110,126],"according":[36],"valence.":[38],"The":[39,140],"system":[40],"is":[41,52,112,173,220,226],"attracted":[42],"and":[43,48,96,130,133,148,192,210],"repelled":[44],"at":[45],"different":[46],"spatial":[47],"temporal":[49],"scales.":[50],"This":[51,104],"qualitative":[54,78],"interpretation":[55],"an":[57],"physical":[59],"state.":[60],"show":[62],"interpretations":[65],"imply":[66],"behavioural":[67],"policies":[68],"which":[69,190],"are":[70,196],"differentiated":[71],"from":[72,175],"each":[73],"other":[74],"only":[75],"this":[77,154,183,201],"aspect":[79],"processing.":[82],"Natural":[83],"selection":[84,178],"favours":[85],"that":[87,106,115,215],"actively":[88],"intervene":[89],"in":[90,107,202],"world":[92],"achieve":[94],"homeostatic":[95],"reproductive":[97],"goals.":[98],"Put":[99],"provocatively,":[100],"death":[101],"grounds":[102],"meaning.":[103],"means":[105],"living":[108],"processing":[111,127,162],"necessarily":[113,163],"subjective,":[114],"is,":[116],"it":[117],"has":[118],"quality":[119,166],"embedded":[120],"into":[121],"its":[122],"very":[123],"core.":[124],"Qualitative":[125,158],"involves":[128],"interoceptive":[129],"exteroceptive":[131],"classifiers,":[132],"determines":[134],"priorities":[135],"for":[136],"self-survival.":[137],"formulate":[139],"Psychophysical":[141],"Principle":[142],"Causality":[144],"theorem,":[147],"prove":[149],"generalisation":[150],"optimal":[151],"learning":[152],"forces":[153],"valence":[155],"first":[156],"ontology.":[157],"good":[159],"or":[160],"bad":[161],"comes":[164],"\\textit{before}":[165],"neutral":[167],"representations":[168],"properties":[170],"(i.e.":[171],"``red''":[172],"constructed":[174],"valence).":[176],"Under":[177],"pressures":[179],"like":[180],"sophisticated":[181],"predation":[182],"produces":[184],"hierarchy":[186],"selves,":[188],"reafference":[191],"reflective":[193],"self":[194],"awareness":[195],"consequence.":[198],"discuss":[200],"light":[203],"seminal":[206],"distinction":[207],"between":[208],"phenomenal":[209,216],"access":[211,219],"consciousness.":[212],"claim":[214],"without":[218],"likely":[221],"common,":[222],"but":[223],"reverse":[225],"implausible.":[227],"Our":[228],"proposal":[229],"lays":[230],"foundation":[232],"formal":[235],"science":[236],"consciousness,":[238],"closer":[239],"fact":[242],"than":[243],"zombie":[244],"fiction.":[245]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":5},{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":7},{"year":2024,"cited_by_count":2}],"updated_date":"2026-11-13T13:42:25.865203","created_date":"2024-10-26T00:00:00"}