Studies on the neural basis of consciousness as a state

First, let us consider what would be an ideal experiment on the neural correlates of consciousness as a state. In Chapter 3, we defined the state of being conscious as the background state of the brain or mind whose presence enables all types of subjective experiences in general and whose absence (the unconscious state) totally prevents any types of subjective experiences. An experiment where the conscious state can be turned on or off in a controlled manner would constitute an ideal experiment to see what it is in the brain that “lights up” consciousness.