Local theories of consciousness state that one is conscious of a feature if it is adequately represented and processed in sensory brain areas, given some background conditions. We challenge the core prediction of local theories based on long-lasting postdictive effects demonstrating that features can be represented for hundreds of milliseconds in perceptual areas without being consciously perceived. Unlike previous empirical data aimed against local theories, localists cannot explain these effects away by conjecturing that subjects are phenomenally conscious of features that they cannot report. We also discuss alternative explanations that localists could offer.

中文翻译：

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局部意识理论的新实证挑战

局部意识理论指出，在给定某些背景条件的情况下，如果某个特征在感觉大脑区域得到充分表征和处理，那么一个人就会意识到该特征。我们挑战基于持久后效效应的局部理论的核心预测，证明特征可以在感知区域中呈现数百毫秒而无需被有意识地感知。与以前针对本地理论的经验数据不同，本地主义者无法通过推测受试者对他们无法报告的特征有惊人的意识来解释这些影响。我们还讨论了地方主义者可以提供的替代解释。