How should we infer consciousness in unresponsive patients?
Consciousness as subjective experience can only be inferred third-personally; a list of operational indicators is used to guide recognition in hard cases, including disorders of consciousness.
Source
Indicators and criteria of consciousness: ethical implications for the care of behaviourally unresponsive patients
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How should we infer consciousness in unresponsive patients?
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Inferential?
inferential process: indeed, to assess consciousness in other subjects we have to rely on their subjective reports. When we cannot access subjective report
Starting point?
we take as a starting point a recently introduced list of operational indicators of consciousness that facilitates its recognition in challenging cases lik
What they did
Starting from a recently introduced indicator list (also aimed at non-human and other challenging cases), the authors spell ethical implications for DoC care when imaging or behaviour under-determines awareness.
What they found
Assessing others’ consciousness is inferential: we rely on subjective reports or proxies. Activity in (named) systems has been found in some behaviourally unresponsive patients. Indicators are not the same as a metaphysical definition of consciousness.
The limits
What it doesn't show
This is neuroethics of criteria, not a new fMRI series. It does not settle every DoC treatment duty.
Key terms
- Consciousness
- Subjective experience, identifiable from outside only by inference.
- Operational indicators
- A practical list that facilitates recognising consciousness in challenging cases.
- DoC
- Disorders of consciousness; behaviourally unresponsive patients with unknown awareness.
- Third-person inference
- We assess others’ experience via reports or proxies, never by direct inspection.
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Common questions
Why inference?
Subjective experience is only available third-personally via an inferential process.
What do they start from?
A recently introduced list of operational indicators.
Clinical target?
Ethical implications for care of behaviourally unresponsive patients.
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