Determinism and attributions of consciousness

Abstract

The studies we report indicate that it is possible to manip ulate explicit ascriptions of consciousness by manipulating whether an agent’s behavior is deterministically caused. In addition, we explore whether this impact of determinism on consciousness is direct, or whether it is mediated by notions linked to agency – notions like moral responsibility, free will, deliberate choice, and sensitivity to moral reasons. We pro vide evidence of mediation. This result extends work on attributions of consciousness and their connection to attribu tions of agency by Adam Arico, Brian Fiala, and Shaun Nichols and supports it against recent criticisms.