The human kind had been grappling perpetually with the question of the nature of consciousness. Since the early days of recorded history, it tickled the minds of thought giants as ancient as Heraclitus, Socrates and Aristotle. It transcended the ages on to the medieval times by the hands of philosophers like Boethius and Aquinas, picked up by Descartes during the Renaissance, and enriched by significant contribution from the 19th century intellectuals like Hegel, Kant and Camus. The 20th century, marked by development of sophisticated technologies, gave birth to a huge amount of groundbreaking ideas about the nature of consciousness and the mind that could be substantiated empirically, thus bridged the gap between the philosophical thought and physiology. Despite considerable progress, we are still incredible far from understanding what the consciousness is (I personally think much further than anyone believes). However, many important ideas were brought to the forefront of our culture that can help us study and navigate our inner landscapes.
British neurophysiologist Sir Charles Scott Sherrington made a huge contribution to the field of neuroscience and psychology. His work and insights continue to influence contemporary neurological research and philosophical thought. He was the first person to describe a synapse and the function of neural connectivity via synaptic transmission, as well as electrical properties of the nerves. Sherrington was the one who introduced the term “reciprocal innervation”, explaining how opposing muscle groups control movement through reciprocal excitation and exhibition. In 1932 he made a groundbreaking discovery of the stretch reflex, for which he received a Nobel Prize. This finding had opened the gate to understanding of the proprioceptive properties of the body. All of his incredible findings had led Sir Sherrington to create and develop a theory of consciousness that till today drives the research and our understanding of this phenomenon.
In 1940 Sherrington had formulated a hypothesis of emergence that was deeply interwoven with his work on neurophysiology. He was the first one to close the gap between philosophy and empirical neuroscience in relationship to these ideas. Back in the 19th century, thinkers like Hegel and William James had already explored the ideas of the emergence of consciousness from the interplay of mind, but Sherrington was the first one who through his research on structure and function of the nervous system have shown us that the theory of emergence can actually be rooted in physical reality.
Sherrington’s theory of consciousness emphasized its emergence from neural interactions, its dynamic and ever changing nature, and profound interconnection between the brain and the conscious experience. His work did not provide a full and comprehensive theory in the modern sense, but it laid the groundwork for all future research on this topic, influencing subsequent developments in neuroscience and philosophy. His theory consisted of few key components:
1. Sherrington proposed that consciousness is an emergent property of the brain, arising from the intricate interactions among neurons. He rejected the reductionist view that sought to localize consciousness in the specific region in the brain, he believed that it is the outcome of collective activities of the entire nervous system. He famously described it as following: "The brain is an enchanted loom where millions of flashing shuttles weave a dissolving pattern, always a meaningful pattern though never an abiding one; a shifting harmony of sub patterns."
2. He advocated for holistic approach to study of consciousness. Sherrington emphasized that an organism cannot be studied as a collection of isolated components, but has to be seen as a whole, where every part contributes to the functioning of the whole system. He was the first one to start working in this direction, diverging the whole field of neuroscience into a new trajectory.
3. Sherrington recognized the dynamic nature of consciousness, describing it as a continuous flow of experiences and perceptions that arise in the nervous system. These views on the dynamic nature of consciousness aligned with later developments in neuroscience and psychology, particularly in understanding of the temporal aspects of perception and cognition.
In short, the main and most important step made by Sir Sherrington was moving away from the reductionist approach to studying the brain. Primarily working as a neurophysiologist, he pioneered the multidisciplinary approach by drawing knowledge from multiple areas, especially philosophy and physiology, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of complex subjects like the brain and consciousness. He incorporated philosophical ideas, like that of emergence, into his neurophysiological research, and in doing so was able to gain incredible insights into the subject matter. This was groundbreaking, as back then the holistic approach was not entertained in this field of study.
Subsequent generations of researchers in the field of consciousness have brought further insight into the correlation of physiological structure of the nervous system and consciousness. American neuroscientist Antonio Damasio has contributed greatly to our understanding of the relationship of consciousness, mind, and emotion. He argued that emotions are not separated from our conscious thinking, but deeply ingrained in it, and have a profound effect on our decision making. In 1990 he coined the term “somatic marker” that refers to the physiological, emotional, and visceral signals or markers that our body and brain use to help us make choices and evaluate different options. Damasio’s emphasis on the integration of emotions, feelings, and bodily states with cognitive processes challenges traditional views of rationality. His work broadened our appreciation of the intricate relationship between the brain, body, and consciousness.
Another prominent figure, Gerald Edelman, took even further our understanding of how complex cognitive processes and consciousness emerge from the structure and organization of the brain. His theory of “Neuronal group selection” or “Neural Darwinism” postulates that the brain's complexity arises from a process of selection and recombination of neural connections. He suggested that the brain is not a static, hardwired organ but rather a dynamic system where neurons compete and cooperate. Through this competition, a diverse array of connections and neural groups is formed. Over time, certain neural configurations are selected based on their effectiveness in processing information. According to his theory, this process leads to development of higher-level cognitive functions and appearance of consciousness. Edelman's argued that the brain's ability to reorganize and adapt through selection processes is what enables us to think, perceive, and have conscious experiences.
Building on top of the base created by the previous generations of scientists and thinkers, one of the contemporary researchers of consciousness, Anil Seth, made a link between the complexity of human movement and our experience of consciousness. The framework he suggests has direct relevance to understanding how the brain coordinates and controls complex movements and how these processes contribute to our conscious experiences. Seth has investigated how the brain creates the sense of self by interacting with the physical world through the body and how this relates to conscious awareness. He explores the concept of "embodiment," which emphasizes that the body and its movements play a central role in shaping our conscious perception. Central to his research is the concept of predictive processing, which suggests that the brain continuously generates predictions about sensory input based on its internal models of the world. These predictions help to reduce the uncertainty associated with sensory information. According to Seth, the brain combines these predictions with actual sensory feedback to construct our conscious perception of the world and the self.
Seth’s work includes investigations into the intricate relationship between sensory input and motor control. For example, he has explored how proprioceptive feedback (sensory information about the body's position and movement) is integrated with visual and tactile information to construct our sense of body ownership and agency. When we move our limbs, the brain uses feedback from proprioceptors to update its predictions about the body's position and movements, ensuring that our conscious perception remains coherent. Anil Seth’s work emphasizes the role of the body and its movements in shaping conscious perception and highlights the physiological mechanisms that underlie these processes.
When we consider all the aforementioned information, the value of having a varied and complex movement practice becomes profoundly evident. Research by such gigantic figures as those discussed in this text underscores that our conscious perception of the world and our sense of self are intrinsically linked to the brain's dynamic predictions and its constant adaptation to sensory feedback from our movements and interactions with the environment. Anil Seth's insightful words in an interview given to The Guardian in 2010 remind us, however, that there's intellectual humility in recognizing the potential limits of mechanistic explanations for consciousness in a predominantly physicalist universe. He encourages us to explore palpable ways in which we can unravel the seemingly peculiar phenomenon of conscious experience. Engaging in a diverse range of physical activities becomes a powerful tool for this exploration, as it challenges the brain to continually update its internal models, accommodating novel movement patterns and sensations. A complex, multifaceted movement practice nurtures cognitive flexibility and a deep, embodied sense of self.