Just to be clear, I’m not arguing against materialism, just pointing out that we have no idea how it works.
“does this purported explanation predict the absence of consciousness in the cerebellum and motor control?”
Comparative neuroscience between species or patients with certain types of brain damage really does give us a concrete idea of how “more complex” and “higher-order” cognition, at the very least part of the puzzle of consciousness, correlates with the presence of certain types of anatomical structures.
A catalogue of brain regions that do correspond to conscious experience and those that do not does not amount to an explanation of how those that do, do, and those that don’t, don’t.
A catalogue of brain regions that do correspond to conscious experience and those that do not does not amount to an explanation of how those that do, do, and those that don’t, don’t.
Not just a catalogue; an understanding of their anatomical differences at the macroscopic and microscopic level, detailed studies of their electrical activities, and soon enough a neuron-level connectome to complement ever-more-fine-grained monitoring of electrical activity. This would provide the means to match more and more experiences to specific neuronal activity (or large complex—but still quantifiable—patterns of neuronal activity), including activities like deep introspection, meditation and creative work.
In the more distant future, a brain simulation that behaves like a person would be very strong evidence of the materialist view. If the only Chinese Room or Philosophical Zombie objections remain, then I’d consider the question of consciousness solved or at least dissolved.
Just to be clear, I’m not arguing against materialism, just pointing out that we have no idea how it works.
A catalogue of brain regions that do correspond to conscious experience and those that do not does not amount to an explanation of how those that do, do, and those that don’t, don’t.
Not just a catalogue; an understanding of their anatomical differences at the macroscopic and microscopic level, detailed studies of their electrical activities, and soon enough a neuron-level connectome to complement ever-more-fine-grained monitoring of electrical activity. This would provide the means to match more and more experiences to specific neuronal activity (or large complex—but still quantifiable—patterns of neuronal activity), including activities like deep introspection, meditation and creative work.
In the more distant future, a brain simulation that behaves like a person would be very strong evidence of the materialist view. If the only Chinese Room or Philosophical Zombie objections remain, then I’d consider the question of consciousness solved or at least dissolved.