?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=William+James+and+the+Evolution+of+Consciousness&rft.creator=Nielsen%2C+Mark&rft.creator=Day%2C+R.+H.&rft.subject=Evolutionary+Psychology&rft.description=Despite+having+been+relegated+to+the+realm+of+superstition+during+the+dominant+years+of+behaviourism%2C+the+investigation+and+discussion+of+consciousness+has+again+become+scientifically+defensible.+However%2C+attempts+at+describing+animal+consciousness+continue+to+be+criticised+for+lacking+independent+criteria+that+identify+the+presence+or+absence+of+the+phenomenon.+Over+one+hundred+years+ago+William+James+recognised+that+mental+traits+are+subject+to+the+same+evolutionary+processes+as+are+physical+characteristics+and+must+therefore+be+represented+in+differing+levels+of+complexity+throughout+the+animal+kingdom.+James's+proposals+with+regard+to+animal+consciousness+are+outlined+and+followed+by+a+discussion+of+three+classes+of+animal+consciousness+derived+from+empirical+research.+These+classes+are+presented+to+defend+both+James's+proposals+and+the+position+that+a+theory+of+animal+consciousness+can+be+scientifically+supported.+It+is+argued+that+by+using+particular+behavioural+expressions+to+index+consciousness+and+by+providing+empirical+tests+by+which+to+elicit+these+behavioural+expressions+a+scientifically+defensible+theory+of+animal+consciousness+can+be+developed.+&rft.contributor=Robinson%2C+Dan&rft.date=1999&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F1327%2F3%2FEvolution_of_Consciousness.pdf&rft.identifier=++Nielsen%2C+Mark+and+Day%2C+R.+H.++(1999)+William+James+and+the+Evolution+of+Consciousness.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F1327%2F