A continuum of consciousness: from wakefulness and sentience towards anoetic consciousness

In this commentary I focus on the conceptual relations between Sentience (Pereira Jr., this journal issue) and my conceptualization of Anoetic Consciousness (Vandekerckhove, 2009; Vandekerckhove, & Panksepp, 2009; Vandekerckhove & Panksepp, 2011; Vandekerckhove, Bulness, & Panksepp, 2014). Both terms refer to interrelated phenomena but display some important differences worth clarifying. Within the reflection on consciousness and subjective experience, the relationship between the self, memory and awareness has been considered in depth. Integration of these findings within this domain of knowledge brings insight into different stages of consciousness of being in the world (Vandekerckhove, 2009). The conceptualization of a continuum of consciousness, starting with being awake, helps us to understand the availability of a vaste number of conscious experiences and the continuous underlying stream of consciousness we experience.

Jaar van publicatie:2021