Determinism and attributions of consciousness
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Date
2020-04-18
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Taylor & Francis
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.
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Keywords
Consciousness; agency; free will; indeterminism