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Neurophenomenology and the study of self-consciousness
Consciousness and Cognition
Format: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2007/09//
Pages: 765 - 767
Sources ID: 67621
Visibility: Public (group default)
Abstract: (Show)
Comments on an article by Claire Petitmengin, Vincent Navarro and Michel Le Van Quyen (see record 2007-15116-019). The authors discuss the possible contribution of research on epileptic seizure anticipation to the study of subjective experience. The authors investigate the neural and phenomenal signatures of prodromes, the warning symptoms prior to seizure onset, as a case study of self-consciousness. As some epileptic patients also report the ability to abort or prevent seizures, this line of research provides, in addition, an opportunity to investigate the regulatory role of self-consciousness. In essence, this programmatic essay aims to provide an illustration of a "neurophenomenological approach" to the neuroscientific study of epilepsy. It shows nicely the potential of this methodology and presents some encouraging preliminary data. Overall, the research program on the neurophenomenology of epilepsy proposed by the authors promises to offer important empirical data on the nature of the neurodynamic processes, that could have direct clinical consequences, involved in self-consciousness. Their methodological and theoretical considerations also offer inspiring new insights into ways of understanding and studying the explanatory gap between phenomenal consciousness and neurophysiological processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)