The disunity of consciousness

Trends Cogn Sci. 2003 May;7(5):214-218. doi: 10.1016/s1364-6613(03)00081-0.

Abstract

Attempts to decode what has become known as the (singular) neural correlate of consciousness (NCC) suppose that consciousness is a single unified entity, a belief that finds expression in the term 'unity of consciousness'. Here, I propose that the quest for the NCC will remain elusive until we acknowledge that consciousness is not a unity, and that there are instead many consciousnesses that are distributed in time and space.