Single Idea 6624

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 5. Qualia / a. Nature of qualia]

Full Idea

Dennett goes to the extreme of denying the existence of qualia altogether.

Clarification

'Qualia' are raw experiences (e.g. of what it is like to see red)

Gist of Idea

Dennett denies the existence of qualia

Source

report of Daniel C. Dennett (Quining Qualia [1988]) by E.J. Lowe - Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind Ch.3

Book Reference

Lowe,E.J.: 'Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind' [CUP 2000], p.55


A Reaction

I sympathise with Dennett. Once you know how physically complex and rapid a quale is (about nine billion connections, all firing continuously), the notion that it seems to be some new 'thing', while just being a process, seems fine. Like a waterfall.