Cogprints

Materialism and the problem of consciousness: The aesthesionomic approach

Lazarov, Georgi (2003) Materialism and the problem of consciousness: The aesthesionomic approach. [Preprint]

Full text available as:

[img] HTML
218Kb

Abstract

The topic of the essay is the “explanatory gap” between, on one side, descriptions of conscious states from 1st person perspective, termed as phenomenal (P-) consciousness; and on the other side, the descriptions of conscious states in representational theories of mind, from 3rd person perspective, termed as access (A-) consciousness. The main source of the explanatory gap between P-consciousness and A-consciousness is the methodology of functionalism, accepted in almost contemporary representational theories. I argue for the following: (1) The principles of materialist ontology, accepted in representational theories of mind, are true. But materialism is not necessary linked with functionalist research methods. The only reasonable consequence from the existence of the “explanatory gap” is that functionalism should be replaced with more adequate methodological approaches. (2) One such non-functionalist approach, termed as “aesthesionomic approach”, is proposed. The central idea is that phenomenal conscious states should be first described in objective terms (from 3rd person perspective). Only on base of such a preliminary objective description of phenomenal conscious states, the description of representational mechanisms (able to realize these states) will not give rise to an “explanatory gap”.

Item Type:Preprint
Additional Information:Call for Comments Any recommendations, criticism, and positions on the ideas presented in this essay are welcome! Send your commentary to e-mail: aesthesionomy@yahoo.com
Keywords:phenomenal consciousness, materialism, explanatory gap, functionalism, representationalism, aesthesionomy
Subjects:Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind
ID Code:3161
Deposited By: Lazarov, Georgi
Deposited On:19 Sep 2003
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:55

Metadata

Repository Staff Only: item control page