The Search for Consciousness.

This article examines the scientific and philosophical challenges of understanding human consciousness, focusing on advances in brain imaging and neural decoding. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and artificial intelligence have enabled researchers to observe and partially reconstruct pa...

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Publicado en:Skeptic Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 4 - 13
Autor principal: MAHAJAN, JASHAN
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Skeptics Society 2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        Consciousness
        Brain imaging
        Functional magnetic resonance imaging
        Artificial intelligence
        Neurosciences
        Self-consciousness (Awareness)
        Brain mapping
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          Consciousness
          Brain imaging
          Functional magnetic resonance imaging
          Artificial intelligence
          Neurosciences
          Self-consciousness (Awareness)
          Brain mapping
      ab: This article examines the scientific and philosophical challenges of understanding human consciousness, focusing on advances in brain imaging and neural decoding. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and artificial intelligence have enabled researchers to observe and partially reconstruct patterns of brain activity associated with perception and intention, suggesting that subjective mental content leaves measurable "footprints" in the brain. However, despite progress in mapping brain structure (connectomics) and decoding neural signals, the "hard problem" of consciousness—explaining why and how physical brain processes give rise to subjective experience—remains unresolved. The article highlights that while neuroscience increasingly reveals the brain’s mechanisms and correlates of mental life, it has yet to explain the felt quality of experience itself, underscoring a fundamental gap between observable brain activity and the private nature of consciousness.
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