How working memory may be the key to understanding consciousness
By
Henry Taylor
Summary
This article explores the relationship between working memory and consciousness, using the "doorway effect" (forgetting why you entered a room) as a relatable entry point. It delves into how working memory — the information we actively hold and manipulate to complete immediate tasks — may be a foundational mechanism underlying conscious experience. The piece synthesizes cognitive science research to argue that working memory and consciousness are closely intertwined, potentially offering a pathway to understanding how subjective awareness arises from brain processes.
Source
Hacker NewsHow working memory may be the key to understanding consciousnessscientificamerican.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledYou know that feeling when you walk into a room and immediately forget why you came in?
This is sometimes known as the doorway effect, since it often strikes when you walk into a new room.
Working memory is the information we need to access to complete the tasks we're engaged in right now, and scientists think it may be closely entwined with consciousness
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