Picture of Antonio Damasio
Consciousness can be impacted by many factors. These factors can be environmental or biological in nature. Neuroscientists have studied the various factors that affect consciousness. One such neuroscientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied the relationship between emotions and consciousness (A. Damasio & H. Damasio, 2023).
Damasio has proposed his own theory of consciousness relating to emotions. He believes that consciousness is the awareness of our environment as shaped by the emotional responses to our surroundings. According to Damasio's theory, consciousness develops from emotions, feelings, and the ability to experience one's feelings. There are three main layers in Damasio's theory: the Proto-Self, Core Consciousness, and Extended Consciousness (A. Damasio & H. Damasio, 2023). The proto-self consists of an individual's neural patterns at any given time and is not conscious on its own (A. Damasio & H. Damasio, 2023). With core consciousness, an individual is aware of their immediate surroundings (A. Damasio & H. Damasio, 2023). Finally, with extended consciousness, an individual is aware of their past, present, and future and can have an understanding of the world and beyond as a whole (A. Damasio & H. Damasio, 2023). Overall, this awareness can be impacted by how an individual feels about the world around them.
The theory of consciousness that Damasio proposes has value for human life. For one, his theory can be used to help people better understand the feelings and emotions they get in response to events in their lives. Furthermore, it can help people better understand the development of their identity and self-awareness from core consciousness to extended consciousness. Ultimately, Damasio is able to help us understand how consciousness is impacted by how we feel in response to the world around us.
References:
Consciousness begins with feeling, not thinking | Antonio Damasio, Hanna Damasio,. (2023, April 20). IAI TV - Changing How the World Thinks. https://iai.tv/articles/consciousness-begins-with-feelings-hanna-damasio-auid-2462
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