A Proposed Hierarchy of Mental States

Higher Order Theories of consciousness assert that the nature of consciousness is hierarchical. A mental state enters into awareness when it becomes the object of a higher order mental state. One limitation of this theory is that it does not adequately explain how the consciousness of humans is different from the consciousness of non-human animals. The solution proposed in this paper suggests that Higher Order Theory can be improved by constructing a discrete hierarchy of mental states. Organisms with qualitatively more consciousness have access to higher levels in the consciousness hierarchy than organisms with qualitatively less consciousness. In order to provide empirical support for the proposed hierarchy, a cluster analysis was performed. The implications of viewing the nervous system as a functional and structural hierarchy will be discussed.