Thompson replies to Dennett

In this paper Thompson replies to criticism of his book Mind in Life, starting with one of his mentors, Dennett. On the issue of consciousness section 4 is instructive. Thompson uses subjective reports and finds them accurate if they are limited to pure description without subjective interpretation. And this has nothing to do with their reports being attempts to describe what is going on in subpersonal brain routines, of which it is acknowledged that we do not, and cannot have, access (red herring).

Also Thompson studies those trained in 1st person investigation, like advanced mediators. Thus they can more accurately report their phenomenological experiences than can those not so trained. This in turn allows for more accurate neurological brain measurements of those subjective states to allow more accurate scientific descriptions of consciousness. See the link for more.