What Is Wrong with the No-Report Paradigm and How to Fix It

Is consciousness based in prefrontal circuits involved in cognitive processes like thought, reasoning, and memory or, alternatively, is it based in sensory areas in the back of the neocortex? The no-report paradigm has been crucial to this debate because it aims to separate the neural basis of the cognitive processes underlying post-perceptual decision and report from the neural basis of conscious perception itself. However, the no-report paradigm is problematic because, even in the absence of report, subjects might engage in post-perceptual cognitive processing. Therefore, to isolate the neural basis of consciousness, a no-cognition paradigm is needed. Here, I describe a no-cognition approach to binocular rivalry and outline how this approach can help resolve debates about the neural basis of consciousness

Finessing the Bored Monkey Problem

This is a response to Ian Phillips and Jorge Morales, "The Fundamental Problem with No-Cognition Paradigms," Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 202

Controversies Surrounding the Hopelessly Ill Patient

Dr. Cassem, who acted as Guest Editor for this issue of the Linacre Quarterly, is Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and is a member of the psychiatry staff at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also Faculty Consultant, Center for Law and Health Sciences. Boston University and Director of Residency Training (Psychiatry) at Massachusetts General. In this article, Dr. Cassem examines the controversies which have arisen in dealing with a terminal or hopelessly ill patient. Dr. Cassem is a frequent contributor to medical journals, including Critical Care Medicine and the New England Journal of Medicine

Attention and perceptual adaptation

Commentary on Andy Clark's target article on predictive coding

Technology issues associated with fueling the national aerospace plane with slush hydrogen

The National Aerospace Plane is a horizontal takeoff and landing, single stage-to-orbit vehicle using hydrogen fuel. The first flights are planned for the mid 1990's. The success of this important national program requires advances in virtually every discipline associated with both airbreathing and space flight. The high heating value, cooling capacity, and combustion properties make hydrogen the fuel of choice, but low density results in a large vehicle. Both fuel cooling capacity and density are increased with the use of slush hydrogen and result in significant reductions in vehicle size. A national program to advance this technology and to find engineering solutions to the many design issues is now under way. The program uses the expertise of the cryogenics production and services industry, the instrumentation industry, universities and governments. The program will be discussed to highlight the major issues and display progress to date