Consciousness at Higher Level: An AHL statement: consciousness as an example of an emergent property.
Practise this as you read
- Explain what an emergent property is.
- Outline why consciousness is one.
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The big idea: One neuron on its own only receives signals and passes impulses on. In the brain, billions of neurons are linked by synapses, and their signals interact. Consciousness arises from these interactions: it is an emergent property, a property of the whole network that no single neuron has.
The points to remember
- One neuron alone only receives signals and passes impulses on.
- The brain has billions of neurons linked by synapses.
- Signals between them interact all the time.
- Consciousness arises from these interactions.
- It is an emergent property: the whole has it, no single neuron does.
Remember it as: No neuron is conscious; the network is.
Real example: deep sleep. In deep sleep, the neurons of the brain are still alive and still sending impulses, yet consciousness fades. What changes is the way the neurons interact, which fits the idea that consciousness comes from the interactions, not from single cells.
Trap: Consciousness is not stored in one neuron or one cell part: it is a property of the interactions between many neurons.
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How it is asked: Expect a question asking you to explain what an emergent property is, using consciousness as the example.
IB-style questionExplain[2 marks]
Explain why consciousness is described as an emergent property.
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See the answer broken into clear points, with guidance on how each point earns marks.