Why Are We Conscious? A Social Scientific Explanation

Abstract

Despite much scholarly attention, we still have no satisfactory account of the function of consciousness, let alone an account of the specific conditions under which it will emerge via natural selection. Our theory provides such accounts by turning away from the study of the neuroanatomy of individuals and toward the study of equilibrium incentives governing the interaction of individuals. We formalize the notion of consciousness and show how it can emerge under specific conditions, despite having no effect on production, because of its social role in the process of securing desirable partners.