The neuroscientist Roger Sperry argues for a theory of consciousness which sees it as an emergent but not dualist entity, causally efficacious in the production of behaviour. This paper raises three issues: whether a non-metaphysical account of emergent phenomena is possible, whether consciousness or a similar emergent entity could “supervene” to be causally active in the production of behaviour, and whether consciousness conceived of as a state is to commit the fallacy of reification.