What is consciousness and why does it matter?

Описание: Read the full Frontiers in Science article:
https://fro.ntiers.in/1UlYoM4X20b
Open access - free to read and download

What is consciousness? And why does understanding it matter for science, medicine, and artificial intelligence?

In this Frontiers in Science Deep Dive - Extended highlights, leading researchers explore one of science’s biggest open questions: how consciousness arises in the brain, how we study it, and why it has urgent real-world implications.

In this discussion:

Professor Axel Cleeremans explains how scientists search for the neural correlates of consciousness, and why awareness and wakefulness can dissociate in certain neurological conditions.

Professor Liad Mudrik outlines how the field is advancing through collaboration, theory testing, and large-scale data approaches.

Professor Anil Seth explores the broader consequences of consciousness research, from diagnosing hidden awareness in patients to understanding the ethical risks of artificial intelligence systems that appear conscious.

00:00 – Why consciousness remains a scientific mystery
00:54 – Awareness vs wakefulness in the brain
02:04 – What AI can (and cannot) feel
04:17 – How consciousness theories are tested
06:02 – Why consciousness research matters
08:02 – Psychiatry and subjective experience
08:35 – Could AI already be conscious?
10:17 – Consciousness, wellbeing, and the future

Consciousness research is not only about philosophical curiosity. It shapes how we treat brain injury, approach mental health, design emerging technologies, and understand our place in the universe.

DOI: 10.3389/fsci.2025.1546279