Rethinking the Concept of Consciousness

Abstract Today, research on consciousness spans various fields, including neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, physics, and computer science. These studies focus on demonstrating the effects of consciousness rather than defining its essence. While consciousness is often used as an overarching concept in thought processes, its nature remains unclear and is expected to be more precisely defined in the future. Some theorists propose that consciousness resides within neurons or the cytoskeleton. Examining the history of science reveals similar concepts that were once widely accepted but later proven nonexistent. This paper argues that consciousness is akin to aether and phlogiston—once considered scientific truths but ultimately discarded. While debates persist on whether consciousness is a fundamental reality or an illusion, the paper asserts that consciousness is merely a term, neither real nor illusory. As our molecular understanding of brain function deepens, the concept of consciousness, like aether and phlogiston, will eventually fade from scientific discourse.