Consciousness : A Comprehensive Reference

The field of consciousness research has developed over the last decades by interdisciplinary and multi-method investigations, through the integration of theoretical, empirical and clinical studies. Consciousness research is relevant across philosophy, psychology, neurology, cognitive and affective neurosciences, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence, among other disciplines. The implicated research methods include psychophysical, psychophysiological and behavioral methods, subjective reporting (with or without trained introspection), electrophysiology and neuroimaging, the brain lesion method, and computational modelling. Consciousness has also been studied in developmental, lifespan, comparative, and evolutionary perspectives. Insights have also been gained by deficient consciousness (e.g., due to brain lesions) and enhanced awareness (e.g., related to meditation states and traits). Research that once was separate inquiries in discreet disciplines is converging. List serves and conferences focused on consciousness are proliferating. New journals have emerged in this field. A huge number of monographs and edited treatises have recently been published on consciousness, but there is no recognized entry point to the field, no comprehensive summary. This encyclopedia is that reference, from the first edition to the second one. Organized thematically, coverage encompasses a summary of major research and scientific thought regarding the nature of consciousness, the neural circuitry involved, how the brain, body, and world interact, and our understanding of subjective states. The work includes contributions covering neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and artificial intelligence to provide a comprehensive backdrop to recent and ongoing investigations into the nature of conscious experience from a philosophical, psychological, and biological perspective. Sections are: 1. Philosophy and History - Philosophy - History 2. Concepts, methodological principles and theories - Paradigms and Perspectives - Core Concepts - Methodological Principles - Theories 3. Psychology of consciousness - Memory - Action - Emotion - Self - States of Consciousness - Higher Level Cognition - Social Psychology 4. Psychology of consciousness, perception and attention - Perception - Attention 5. Neuroscience of consciousness - Cognitive neuroscience and neurobiology - Neurology