?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=What+is+Consciousness+For%3F&rft.creator=Pierson%2C+Dr.+Lee&rft.creator=Trout%2C+Monroe&rft.subject=Philosophy+of+Mind&rft.subject=Cognitive+Psychology&rft.subject=Evolutionary+Psychology&rft.description=What+is+Consciousness+For%3F%0A%0ALee+Pierson+and+Monroe+Trout%0ACopyright+%C2%A9+2005%0A%0AAbstract%3A+The+answer+to+the+title+question+is%2C+in+a+word%2C+volition.+Our+hypothesis+is+that+the+ultimate+adaptive+function+of+consciousness+is+to+make+volitional+movement+possible.+All+conscious+processes+exist+to+subserve+that+ultimate+function.+Thus%2C+we+believe+that+all+conscious+organisms+possess+at+least+some+volitional+capability.+Consciousness+makes+volitional+attention+possible%3B+volitional+attention%2C+in+turn%2C+makes+volitional+movement+possible.+There+is%2C+as+far+as+we+know%2C+no+valid+theoretical+argument+that+consciousness+is+needed+for+any+function+other+than+volitional+movement+and+no+convincing+empirical+evidence+that+consciousness+performs+any+other+ultimate+function.+Consciousness%2C+via+volitional+action%2C+increases+the+likelihood+that+an+organism+will+direct+its+attention%2C+and+ultimately+its+movements%2C+to+whatever+is+most+important+for+its+survival+and+reproduction.+%0A&rft.date=2005&rft.type=Preprint&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F4482%2F1%2Fwhatisconsciousnessfor.pdf&rft.identifier=++Pierson%2C+Dr.+Lee+and+Trout%2C+Monroe++(2005)+What+is+Consciousness+For%3F++%5BPreprint%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F4482%2F<script src='//archive-bar.soton.ac.uk/archive-bar.js'></script>