ABSTRACT
From a historical viewpoint, consciousness is one of the most remarkable phenomena. Some time ago, it was regarded as the genuine subject of psychology. Then, in the first half of the twentieth century, mainstream psychology rejected consciousness as an object of science. In the course of the cognitive revolution, consciousness was reintroduced, and became a major subject of several disciplines. Yet some psychologists have remained suspicious of this development and still hold that consciousness should be left to philosophy, theology, and art. The idea of consciousness as a kind of reflection can be found throughout the whole history of philosophy and psychology. The most current approach is the neuropsychological. The neurosciences have much advanced in the last two decades, and their progress is generally regarded as fascinating. However, it is not yet possible to specify necessary and sufficient conditions for consciousness.
