Consciousness of Time and the Time of Consciousness

Abstract

This entry reviews different explanations of what consciousness must be like if it is possible for us to experience time and temporal objects such as melodies. Consciousness is characterized by a temporal structure and seems to involve a successive flow - the often-used metaphor of a stream of consciousness. This temporal structure of experience necessarily shapes the way that we are conscious of the world, and raises especially interesting problems concerning the experience of temporal objects. The idea of experience as a streaming process also raises questions about the unity of consciousness and self over time. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publication Title

Encyclopedia of Consciousness

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