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Research on the Hard Problem of Consciousness Reconstructed and Elucidated by the "Philosophy of Biology"

Research Project

Project/Area Number 20K00275
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 01080:Sociology of science, history of science and technology-related
Research InstitutionKeio University

Principal Investigator

Senji Tanaka  慶應義塾大学, 文学部(三田), 准教授 (90757098)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 鈴木 大地  筑波大学, 生命環境系, 助教 (60866672)
太田 紘史  新潟大学, 人文社会科学系, 准教授 (80726802)
Project Period (FY) 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Keywords意識 / 進化論 / 行為者性 / 生物学的説明 / 相同性 / 生物学の哲学 / 視覚意識 / 神経生物学的自然主義 / 意識の進化的起源 / 動物意識の誕生 / 生物学的自然主義 / 心の哲学 / 進化生物学
Outline of Research at the Start

本研究は、意識に関する解決困難な問題を「生物学の哲学」の観点から再構成し、解明を目指すものである。意識の問題がいわば「生物学化」されることで、進化のデータを説明項に含む「意識の生物学的説明」の実現が期待できる。その過程で、関連する生物学の概念や方法論が吟味される。最終的に、意識の生物学的説明が意識理論に対してどのような含意や制約をもたらすかを見極める。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

While comparing recent evolutionary approaches to consciousness, we conducted an original analysis based on the knowledge of the philosophy of biology. Although it is generally claimed that the consciousness seen in vertebrates is homologous, it has also been pointed out that the neural basis of consciousness differs among species. We argued that this situation is reasonably understandable given the hierarchy-relative nature of homology in general. We also critically examined and then rejected the views that link consciousness to contributions to survival or to advanced reporting abilities. After that, we presented a new view that linked consciousness to agency. Based on this view, consciousness is to be understood as providing the background for the living individual as an agent to flexibly and actively choose actions within its own environment and according to its own reasons and purposes.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年とみに盛んになっている意識の進化研究について、科学哲学、心の哲学、および進化生物学の知見を踏まえて批判的に検討し、独自の分析をおこなった。学際的な研究領域であるため、その成果の波及範囲は広い。また、研究成果を国内外の学術誌で発表し、国内外の関連分野の研究者の議論を喚起した学術的意義は大きい。本研究の延長線上には、動物の意識に関する知見が動物の倫理的扱いにどのように影響を及ぼすかという実践的な問題が位置づけられるため、今後の展開次第では動物に対する道徳的配慮や法整備に含意をもつ結論が導き出される可能性もある。その意味では大きな社会的意義をもちうる研究成果であると言うことができるだろう。

Report

(4 results)
  • 2022 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2021 Research-status Report
  • 2020 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (12 results)

All 2023 2022 2021 2020

All Journal Article (7 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 7 results,  Open Access: 5 results) Presentation (4 results) (of which Invited: 1 results) Book (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] Phylogenetic Distribution and Trajectories of Visual Consciousness: Examining Feinberg and Mallatt’s Neurobiological Naturalism2022

    • Author(s)
      Ota Koji、Suzuki Daichi G.、Tanaka Senji
    • Journal Title

      Journal for General Philosophy of Science

      Volume: 53 Issue: 4 Pages: 459-476

    • DOI

      10.1007/s10838-021-09591-1

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report 2021 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] <i>Preface to the Special Issue</i>2022

    • Author(s)
      TANAKA Senji、G. SUZUKI Daichi
    • Journal Title

      Annals of the Japan Association for Philosophy of Science

      Volume: 31 Issue: 0 Pages: 1-4

    • DOI

      10.4288/jafpos.31.0_1

    • ISSN
      0453-0691, 1884-1228
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] <i>A General Model of and Lineage-Specific Ground Plans for Animal Consciousness</i>2022

    • Author(s)
      G. SUZUKI Daichi
    • Journal Title

      Annals of the Japan Association for Philosophy of Science

      Volume: 31 Issue: 0 Pages: 5-29

    • DOI

      10.4288/jafpos.31.0_5

    • ISSN
      0453-0691, 1884-1228
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] The Anthropic Principle for the Evolutionary Biology of Consciousness: Beyond Anthropocentrism and Anthropomorphism2022

    • Author(s)
      Suzuki Daichi G.
    • Journal Title

      Biosemiotics

      Volume: Online First Issue: 1 Pages: 1-16

    • DOI

      10.1007/s12304-022-09474-y

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report 2021 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] A general model of and lineage-specific ground plans for animal consciousness2022

    • Author(s)
      Daichi G. Suzuki
    • Journal Title

      Annals of the Japan Association for Philosophy of Science

      Volume: -

    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Consciousness in Jawless Fishes2021

    • Author(s)
      Suzuki Daichi G.
    • Journal Title

      Frontier in Systems Neuroscience

      Volume: 15 Pages: 751876-751876

    • DOI

      10.3389/fnsys.2021.751876

    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Homology thinking reconciles the conceptual conflict between typological and population thinking2021

    • Author(s)
      Suzuki Daichi G.
    • Journal Title

      Biology & Philosophy

      Volume: 36 Issue: 2 Pages: 23-23

    • DOI

      10.1007/s10539-021-09800-7

    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Presentation] 意識の進化理論の現代的総合2021

    • Author(s)
      鈴木大地
    • Organizer
      科学基礎論学会 2021年度 研究例会(オンライン開催)ワークショップ「動物意識の起源:心の科学と哲学の新展開」
    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] 脳オルガノイド倫理にとって意識の重要性はどこにあるのか2021

    • Author(s)
      太田紘史
    • Organizer
      応用哲学会第13回年次研究大会
    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] 意識の価値に関する哲学的諸見解は使い物になるか2021

    • Author(s)
      太田紘史
    • Organizer
      科学基礎論学会 2021年度総会ワークショップ「ヒト脳オルガノイドの道徳的地位に関する基礎的検討」
    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] 生物学と意識:学説史的観点から2020

    • Author(s)
      鈴木大地
    • Organizer
      日本心理学会 シンポジウム「文理融合・学際的視点からみた意識の諸相についてII」
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Book] 未定2023

    • Author(s)
      田中泉吏・鈴木大地・太田紘史
    • Total Pages
      110
    • Publisher
      慶應義塾大学出版会
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report

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Published: 2020-04-28   Modified: 2024-01-30  

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