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Non-human consciousness and the specificity problem: A modest theoretical proposal
Resource type
Journal Article
Author/contributor
- Shevlin, Henry (Author)
Title
Non-human consciousness and the specificity problem: A modest theoretical proposal
Abstract
Most scientific theories of consciousness are challenging to apply outside the human case insofar as non-human systems (both biological and artificial) are unlikely to implement human architecture precisely, an issue I call the specificity problem. After providing some background on the theories of consciousness debate, I survey the prospects of four approaches to this problem. I then consider a fifth solution, namely the theory-light approach proposed by Jonathan Birch. I defend a modified version of this that I term the modest theoretical approach, arguing that it may provide insights into challenging cases that would otherwise be intractable.
Publication
Mind & Language
Date
2021
Volume
36
Issue
2
Pages
297-314
Accessed
2/1/26, 9:22 AM
ISSN
1468-0017
Short Title
Non-human consciousness and the specificity problem
Language
en
Library Catalog
Wiley Online Library
License
© 2021 The Author. Mind & Language published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Extra
Citation
Shevlin, H. (2021). Non-human consciousness and the specificity problem: A modest theoretical proposal. Mind & Language, 36(2), 297–314. https://doi.org/10.1111/mila.12338
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