DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x25102926 ISSN: 0140-525X
Evolution, time, and the observer
Heather Browning, Walter VeitAbstract
Fleming and Michel propose that conscious vision evolved as a result of the water-to-land transition of animal life, enabling what they call “reality monitoring.” Here, we challenge their account by drawing on evolutionary arguments and the sensory capacities of aquatic life. Consciousness, we suggest, may have deeper evolutionary roots with significant roles for “slow” decision-making.