Chapter 3 - Physiology of Mental States and Conscious Agency

Abstract

Mental states and conscious agency are not epiphenomena. They have physical properties grounded in neurophysiology. “Conscious mind” is a metaphor for the bioelectric processes of brain that create awareness. The brain situates itself in its body. An unconscious sense of self resides in the topographical organization of how the brain maps the body, both for sensation and for movement. Conscious awareness of this body mapping magnifies a sense of autonomous self. Evidence is presented that such awareness is present even in the late-stage fetus.