The article proposes a new model to interpret seemingly conflicting evidence concerning the correlation of consciousness and neural processes. Based on an analysis of research of blindsight and subliminal perception, the REF CON framework suggests that mental representations consist of functions at several different levels of analysis, including truly localized Perceptual Elementary Functions and Perceptual Algorithmic Modules, which are interconnections of the Elementary Functions. We suggest that conscious content relates to the “top level” of analysis in a “Situational Algorithmic Strategy” that reflects the general state of an individual. We argue that conscious experience is intrinsically related to representations that are available to guide behaviour. From this perspective, we find that blindsight and subliminal perception partly can be explained by too coarse-grained methodology, partly by top-down enhancing of representations that normally would not be relevant to action.

Morten Overgaard og Jesper Mogensen:
Visual perception from the perspective of a representational, non-reductionistic, level-dependent account of perception and conscious awareness.
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London

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(in Danish)

See article at the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B website:

rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/369/1641/20130209.full.pdf+html