June, 1997                     Claremont College, CA

ON THE ORIGIN OF CONSCIOUSNESS
A POSTULATE AND ITS COROLLARY

Michel Cabanac
Laval University

 

Abstract:

A hypothesis is presented according to which structure of consciousness is quadri-dimensional. The four dimensions are duration, quality, intensity, and affectivity. One may reach this conclusion by introspection alone, or by deduction along the following steps:

1) Consciousness should be examined from the point of view of evolutionary psychology.

2) This leads to the following postulate: consciousness evolved from sensation.

3) The postulate entails a corollary: consciousness has kept the quadri-dimensional                structure of  sensation.

The above postulate could explain the phylogenetic origin of pleasure as the common currency, and in turn the trade-offs for access to the behavioral final common path. It would also entail that joy is the transient sign of a useful conscious event, whereas happiness is the indifferent experience of a satisfied mind. Implicit cognition is likely to be described by low magnitude on the intensity axis of consciousnes, and prerational decision making by the affective axis of consciousness.
 
 

 

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