<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Although scientific practice sometimes encounters philosophical difficulties, it cannot shoulder the burden of resolving them. This can lead to controversies. An unavoidable difficulty is rooted in the linguistic attitude, i.e., in the fact that to a considerable extent we express our thoughts in words. I will attempt to illuminate some important characteristics of linguistic expression which lead to paradoxical situations, identifiable thanks to philosophy. In my argument, I will investigate how the notion of consciousness has altered over the course of philosophical investigation and how it relates to recent scientific practice. In conclusion, I will focus on a few recent so-called <italic>radical</italic> positions in philosophy with regard to a framework within which consciousness and more generally mental phenomena can be regarded in a new light, as well as on the barriers we face when trying to unify scientific results.</p></abstract>

Although scientific practice sometimes encounters philosophical difficulties, it cannot shoulder the burden of resolving them. This can lead to controversies. An unavoidable difficulty is rooted in the linguistic attitude, i.e., in the fact that to a considerable extent we express our thoughts in words. I will attempt to illuminate some important characteristics of linguistic expression which lead to paradoxical situations, identifiable thanks to philosophy. In my argument, I will investigate how the notion of consciousness has altered over the course of philosophical investigation and how it relates to recent scientific practice. In conclusion, I will focus on a few recent so-called radical positions in philosophy with regard to a framework within which consciousness and more generally mental phenomena can be regarded in a new light, as well as on the barriers we face when trying to unify scientific results.

Theoretical Controversies—Terminological Biases: Consciousness Revisited

Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Theoretical Controversies\u2014Terminological Biases: Consciousness Revisited"}

Although scientific practice sometimes encounters philosophical difficulties, it cannot shoulder the burden of resolving them. This can lead to controversies....

Theoretical Controversies—Terminological Biases: Consciousness Revisited

Published Online: Jul 24, 2015

Page range: 143 - 160

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/slgr-2015-0025

Keywords
consciousness, sensorimotor approach, global workspace theory, Merleau-Ponty

© Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Theoretical Controversies—Terminological Biases: Consciousness Revisited

Published Online: Jul 24, 2015

Page range: 143 - 160

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/slgr-2015-0025

Keywordsconsciousness, sensorimotor approach, global workspace theory, Merleau-Ponty

© Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
consciousness, sensorimotor approach, global workspace theory, Merleau-Ponty