The theory of evolution is hard pressed to explain the adaptive value and causal contribution of consciousness in human and non-human animals. One problem is that — unless we embrace dualism and treat it as some sort of independent and nonphysical force — consciousness may or may not have an independent adaptive function of its own, over and above those behavioral and physiological functions it might supervene upon, because evolution is completely blind to the behavioral diferences between conscious organisms and their functionally equivalent non-conscious counterparts, who are referred to as “zombies”. And this is so because natural selection itself operates at the level of behavior. Natural selection, a functionalist if ever there were one, is no more a mind reader than we are. Hence, if we designate behavioral equality as “Turing indistinguishability” in the sense of Turing’s test, then, Turing-Indistinguishability equals Darwinian-Indistinguishability. Even though organisms that are Turing-Indistinguishable would also be indistinguishable regarding their behavioral responses and therefore possess all and only the same adaptive capabilities, it (somewhat surprisingly) does not follow that human behavior is explainable on the basis of zombie physical determinism alone. We are conscious and our consciousness somehow “piggy-backs” on a vast complex of unobservable internal activity —call it cognition— that appears to be causating most of our behavioral responses. Apart from those brought about by irrational or nonrational forces, such as instinctual sexual desires, where distal Darwinian factors continue to exert proximal influence, it is as sensible to seek Darwinian rather than cognitive explanations for most of our current behavior as it is to seek astral rather than engineering causes of an auto’s performance. Evolution can explain cognition, but cognitive theory must explain behavior when it is affected by cognition. A Collection Of Stimulating Studies On The Past, The Present, And The Future Of Consciousness, Consciousness Evolving Contributes To Understanding Some Of The Most Important Conceptual Problems Of Our Time. The Advent Of The Modern Synthesis Together With The Human Genome Project Affords A Platform For Considering What It Is That Makes Humans Distinctive. Beginning With An Essay That Accents The Nature Of The Problem Within A Behavioristic Framework And Concluding With Reflections On The Prospects For A Form Of Immortality Through Serial Cloning, The Chapters Are Divided Into Three Sections, Which Concern How And Why Consciousness May Have Evolved, Special Capacities Involving Language, Creativity, And Mentality As Candidates For Evolved Adaptations, And The Prospects For Artificial Evolution Though The Design Of Robots With Specific Forms Of Consciousness And Mind. This Volume Should Appeal To Every Reader Who Wants To Better Understand The Human Species, Including Its Distinctive Properties And Its Place In Nature. (series A) Prologue : Turing Indistinguishability And The Blind Watchmaker / Stevan Harnad -- Part I: Natural Consciousness -- Consciousness, Adaptation And Epiphenomenalism / Tom Polger, Owen Flanagan -- The Function Of Consciousness / David Cole -- Sensations And Grain Processes / George Graham, Terry Horgan -- Part Ii: Special Adaptations -- Evolution, Consciousness, And The Language Of Thought / James W. Garson -- Why Did Evolution Engineer Consciousness? / Selmer Bringsjord, Ron Noel -- Nothing Without Mind / Stephen Clark -- Part Iii: Artificial Consciousness -- The Emergence Of Grounded Representations : The Power And Limits Of Sensory- Motor Coordination / Stefano Nolfi, Oraxio Miglino -- Ago Ergo Sum / Dario Floreano -- Evolving Robot Consciousness : The Easy Problems And The Rest / Inman Harvey -- Epilogue : The Future With Cloning: On The Possibility Of Serial Immortality / Neil Tennant. Edited By James H. Fetzer. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.
