Publication:
Consciousness and cognition in plants

Thumbnail Image
Files
Segundo-OrtinM.CalvoP.2021.ConsciousnessandCognitioninPlants.pdf(2.58 MB)
Date
2021-09-23
relationships.isAuthorOfPublication
relationships.isSecondaryAuthorOf
relationships.isDirectorOf
Authors
Segundo-Ortin, Miguel ; Calvo, Paco
item.page.secondaryauthor
item.page.director
Publisher
Wiley
publication.page.editor
publication.page.department
Filosofía
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1578
item.page.type
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
© 2021 The Authors. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. This document is the Accepted version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in WIREs: Cognitive Science. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1578
Abstract
Unlike animal behavior, behavior in plants is traditionally assumed to be completely determined either genetically or environmentally. Under this assumption, plants are usually considered to be noncognitive organisms. This view nonetheless clashes with a growing body of empirical research that shows that many sophisticated cognitive capabilities traditionally assumed to be exclusive to animals are exhibited by plants too. Yet, if plants can be considered cognitive, even in a minimal sense, can they also be considered conscious? Some authors defend that the quest for plant consciousness is worth pursuing, under the premise that sentience can play a role in facilitating plant's sophisticated behavior. The goal of this article is not to provide a positive argument for plant cognition and consciousness, but to invite a constructive, empirically informed debate about it. After reviewing the empirical literature concerning plant cognition, we introduce the reader to the emerging field of plant neurobiology. Research on plant electrical and chemical signaling can help shed light into the biological bases for plant sentience. To conclude, we shall present a series of approaches to scientifically investigate plant consciousness. In sum, we invite the reader to consider the idea that if consciousness boils down to some form of biological adaptation, we should not exclude a priori the possibility that plants have evolved their own phenomenal experience of the world.
publication.page.subject
Adaptive behavior , Cognitive science , Plant cognition , Plant consciousness , Plant neurobiology
Citation
WIREs Cogn Sci. 2021 e1578
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10201/148260
item.page.embargo
Collections
Artículos
Ir a Estadísticas