IndexIntroductionThe complexity of consciousnessConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionFrom an evolutionary perspective, theories of consciousness can range from the fact that only humans are conscious to the fact that all matter is in a certain conscious sense. This is also called consciousness distribution. Is consciousness limited only to humans or can it also be attributed to other living beings? Many philosophers and scientists have proposed many different and sometimes conflicting theories on the same topic. In a broad sense, most of these theories of consciousness can be classified into two aspects; namely the theories of continuity and discontinuity. Discontinuity theories propose that consciousness arose as a result of complexity within the physical or material when the physical reached a certain level of evolution. Continuity theories propose that consciousness is always accompanied by some basic form within the physical/material and as matter evolves, consciousness also evolves into more complex forms such as the human consciousness we observe around us (Velmans 2007, 274). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Complexity of Consciousness In the case of consciousness, first, there are the conditions necessary for the existence of consciousness and then there are the conditions that are necessary to give rise to its multiple forms. Different philosophers and scientists tend to confuse both of them together. Human consciousness appears to us to be more complex in terms of brain dynamics and behavioral/social paradigms than animal consciousness or other non-human species. Given this fact, it seems reasonable to us to assume that only humans have full human consciousness and at the same time it is reasonable to assume that some other non-human animals also tend to have a peculiar form of non-human consciousness. (Velmans 2007, 275). So, regarding the distribution of consciousness, Velmans argues that we should not pursue any of the extreme views (that only humans have consciousness or that consciousness is everywhere). Of course, it may be that consciousness may be limited to those animals whose brains have reached a greater level of complexity in terms of mass and neuronal interactions. A complex experience requires a certain level of neural complexity within the brain of an organism that has evolved to a certain limit. The means necessary to select, assimilate, and disperse conscious information in the brains of human beings need not be required within simpler organisms that have simpler brains. For example, a frog's visual system might be structured so that it responds only to basic stimulus features that should be sufficient for its survival, and it might not need the level of complexity of a human visual system for its survival. . . This in no way means that the frog sees nothing. It means rather simply that this limited and basic form of conscious visual processing is all that is necessary for the frog's survival. It is commonly understood that the evolution of what we call human consciousness is linked to the evolution of the neocortex within the human brain (Velmans 2007, 277). However, whether this is something special about the structure of the neocortex itself or whether there is something unique about the nature of the cortical cells through which consciousness “emerges” is something we have little evidence for. Keep in mind: this is just one example. Get a document now. 269-292.