title: How qualia can be physical
creator: Nicholson, Mr Dennis
subject: Philosophy of Mind
description: Assume that a quale as we experience it is a perspective on an underlying physical state, rather than the physical state as such – the reality as known as distinct from the reality as such. Assume, further, that this inner perspective is integral to, and materially co-extensive with, the physical state itself. Assume, finally, that the physical state in question is known as a brain state of a particular kind by an external observer of the brain in which it occurs. The result is a perspective in which a quale is entirely physical; a position that resolves several known difficulties for physicalism, including those associated with the explanatory gap, Jackson’s knowledge argument, and Chalmers’ hard problem of consciousness.
date: 2006-03
type: Preprint
type: NonPeerReviewed
format: text/html
identifier: http://cogprints.org/4786/1/HQCBPcoghtml.htm
identifier:   Nicholson, Mr Dennis  (2006) How qualia can be physical.  [Preprint]     
relation: http://cogprints.org/4786/