Single Idea 4092

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 1. Consciousness / e. Cause of consciousness]

Full Idea

The three arguments that have been used to articulate the problem of consciousness are the knowledge argument ('Mary'), the possibility of 'zombies' (creatures like us but lacking phenomenal consciousness), and the explanatory gap (the Hard Question).

Clarification

All of them suggest that experience is more than its physical basis

Gist of Idea

The core of the consciousness problem is the case of Mary, zombies, and the Hard Question

Source

Tim Crane (Elements of Mind [2001], 3.26)

Book Reference

Crane,Tim: 'Elements of Mind' [OUP 2001], p.89


A Reaction

All of these push towards the implausible claim that there could never be a physical explanation of why we experience things. Zombies are impossible, in my opinion.