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Review
. 2016 Jun;20(6):405-413.
doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2016.03.009. Epub 2016 Apr 18.

Are There Levels of Consciousness?

Tim Bayne  1 , Jakob Hohwy  2 , Adrian M Owen  3
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Are There Levels of Consciousness?

Tim Bayne et al. Trends Cogn Sci. 2016 Jun.
Free article

Abstract

The notion of a level of consciousness is a key construct in the science of consciousness. Not only is the term employed to describe the global states of consciousness that are associated with post-comatose disorders, epileptic absence seizures, anaesthesia, and sleep, it plays an increasingly influential role in theoretical and methodological contexts. However, it is far from clear what precisely a level of consciousness is supposed to be. This paper argues that the levels-based framework for conceptualizing global states of consciousness is untenable and develops in its place a multidimensional account of global states.

Keywords: anaesthesia; disorders of consciousness; global state of consciousness; levels of consciousness; sedation; sleep.

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