Corollary discharge : A neural mechanism with some philosophical implications

Abstract

In this work, a neurophysiological mechanism that allows the nervous system to discriminate whether the activity in the sensory input originated outside the organism or if it is a consequence of the movements carried out by the organism itself, is analyzed. This mechanism is the corollary discharge or efferent copy. Briefly, this mechanism consists of a center able to comparing the motor command with the activity that the movement produced in the sensory input. It is discussed whether this mechanism can shed some light on philosophical problems such as paradoxes, the reality principle and the problem of will.