Theories of Consciousness

Theories of consciousness explore how our awareness and experience arise. Reductionism suggests that consciousness can be fully explained by breaking it down into simpler components, like neurons and brain processes. In contrast, emergentism posits that consciousness emerges from complex interactions of these components, meaning it cannot be fully understood just by looking at them separately. Essentially, while reductionism sees consciousness as a sum of parts, emergentism views it as a unique phenomenon that arises when these parts work together in specific ways, highlighting the intricate relationship between the brain and our conscious experience.