Consciousness

Question 1

Define phenomenal consciousness.

Answer 1

What it is like to experience something.

Question 2

Define access consciousness.

Answer 2

Being aware of something and able to report on that awareness.

Question 3

What is Cartesian dualism?

Answer 3

The very act of thinking about one’s existence is evidence of the presence of a mind distinct from the body.

Question 4

What is optic ataxia and how is it caused?

Answer 4

Patients grope around for an object as if they can’t see it but are able to describe it in detail.
Caused by lesions to the dorsal stream of vision.

Question 5

What is visual agnosia and how is it caused?

Answer 5

Patients can see but can’t recognise objects.
Caused by lesions to the ventral stream of vision.

Question 6

What is blindsight?

Answer 6

Patients cannot see but can still sense movement.

Question 7

What does aperceptive agnosia tell us about consciousness?

Answer 7

Object perception can be inaccessible to us.

Question 8

What does blindsight tell us about consciousness?

Answer 8

When object perception is lost, movement perception can remain.

Question 9

What does alien hand syndrome tell us about consciousness?

Answer 9

Brain output can be unconscious.

Question 10

What does complex partial seizures tell us about consciousness?

Answer 10

Loss of function in association and frontal areas may impair conscious experience.