Consciousness is not a neurophysiological phenomenon, it is an epiphenomenon of orienting behavior that lies entirely in the linguistic domain.
If the genetically determined (evolved) neurophysiological processes which oermit orienting bhavior (communicative behavior) do not specify particular orientations but secure them in general, the organism can learn to orient itself to itself, that is, it can describe itself (self-description). Through describing itself in a recursive manner, the organism generates consciousness. Consciousness, then, is not a neurophysiological phenomenon, it is an epiphenomenon of orienting behavior that lies entirely in the linguistic domain. (NC 19)
This page was last updated on July 11, 1996, by Rob Sable.