Cognitive Motor Dissociation in Disorders of Consciousness

Persons with severe brain injury who are behaviorally unresponsive to commands show brain activation on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or electroencephalography (EEG) when presented with cognitive tasks, such as motor imagery commands. The failure to identify such cognitive-motor dissociation in patients with disorders of consciousness could affect decisions regarding the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, goals of care, and clinical management.

Sounds like a very real reason not to misidentify “consciousness”.

I thought the contemporary thinkers were calling “consciousness” a synonym for “being aware or awake.” Now it seems they are equating consciousness to a psychological characteristic.

It is strange these would suggest that medical benefits may not apply if they simply do not known where the cause lies.