Consciousness as A Result of Brain Evolution and Functioning.

Authors

  • Alexandre de Campos Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Biociências. Departamento de Fisiología.
  • Andréa M. G. dos Santos Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Biociências. Departamento de Fisiología.
  • Gilberto F. Xavier Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Biociências. Departamento de Fisiología.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/psicousp.v8i2.107594

Keywords:

Consciousness. Nervous system. Memory. Brain disorders. Perception.

Abstract

Percepts, individuality, language, ideas, meaning, culture, choice, morals and ethics, all exist as a result of brain evolution and functioning. Concerns that assumptions of consciousness as a biological process will lead people to abandon moral and ethic behaviour are not attained. Investigation of consciousness as a natural, not mystical, phenomenon increases our possibility to understand it, with scientific, theoretical and social gains, in addition to moral and ethic ones. This paper discusses how evolution by natural selection, and the biological nervous system organization allow to explain individuality, intentionality, simbolic representations and meaning. Phenomena observed in neurologic patients emphasize the concept of modular organization of the nervous system; consciousness is not seen as a exclusive property of a single module but rather as a result of the synchronized work of different modules.

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Published

1997-01-01

Issue

Section

A Consciência numa perspectiva biológica

How to Cite

Consciousness as A Result of Brain Evolution and Functioning. (1997). Psicologia USP, 8(2), 181-226. https://doi.org/10.1590/psicousp.v8i2.107594