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Unconscious influences on decision making in blindsight

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2014

Berit Brogaard ,
Kristian Marlow  and
Kevin Rice
Berit Brogaard
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy and Center for Neurodynamics, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO 63121. [email protected]@[email protected]
Kristian Marlow
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy and Center for Neurodynamics, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO 63121. [email protected]@[email protected]
Kevin Rice
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy and Center for Neurodynamics, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO 63121. [email protected]@[email protected]
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Abstract

Newell & Shanks (N&S) argue that an explanation for blindsight need not appeal to unconscious brain processes, citing research indicating that the condition merely reflects degraded visual experience. We reply that other evidence suggests blindsighters' predictive behavior under forced choice reflects cognitive access to low-level visual information that does not correlate with visual consciousness. Therefore, while we grant that visual consciousness may be required for full visual experience, we argue that it may not be needed for decision making and judgment.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , February 2014 , pp. 22 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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