Single Idea 8895

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 1. Consciousness / f. Higher-order thought]

Full Idea

In the higher-order thought theory of consciousness, if the first-order thought is not itself conscious and the second-order thought is not itself conscious, then there seems to be no consciousness of the first-level content present at all.

Gist of Idea

If neither the first-level nor the second-level is itself conscious, there seems to be no consciousness present

Source

Laurence Bonjour (A Version of Internalist Foundationalism [2003], 4.2)

Book Reference

Bonjour,L/Sosa,E: 'Epistemic Justification' [Blackwells 2003], p.67


A Reaction

A nice basic question. The only plausible answer seems to be that consciousness arises out of the combination of levels. Otherwise one of the levels is redundant, or we are facing a regress.