Single Idea 3288

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 7. Zombies]

Full Idea

The goal of an objective phenomenology would be to describe, at least in part, the subjective character of experiences in a form comprehensible to beings incapable of having those experiences.

Gist of Idea

Can we describe our experiences to zombies?

Source

Thomas Nagel (What is it like to be a bat? [1974], p.179)

Book Reference

Nagel,Thomas: 'Mortal Questions' [CUP 1981], p.179


A Reaction

This seems a bizarre expectation. We can already explain visual experience to the blind up to a point, but no one is dreaming of an "objective phenomenology" which will give blind people total understanding, just by reading about it in braille.