Raw feeling: a philosophical account of the essence of consciousness

Abstract

Part 1 Raw feeling and intelligibility gap: Anna problems plot relational accounts and infinite regress objection Jackson's defence of a relational analysis states, processes and ontology bundle theories epiphenomenalism behaviourism a rough fix on raw feeling. Part 2 Is notion sound: Wittgenstein and inverted spectrum does raw feeling fall foul of private language argument? anti-realism about sensation language how we can know what others' raw feels are like beetles in boxes and transformation a brain in a vat can raw feeling be quined? eliminativism in general. Part 3 Strict implication and Swiss cheese principle: zombie idea two-stage creation scenario and strict implication thesis more on strict implication thesis absolute impossibility and example of gnarled what has to be done? neurone replacement therapy - will it work? Swiss cheese principle some general points about nature of mental life core argument Cartesian resistance we may assume strict implication thesis is true. Part 4 Perceptual information: pure stimulus-response systems basic package machine-table robot realistic construal of information being for system GIANT richness of perceptual information perceptual information and consciousness help from connectionist models. Part 5 Conscious subjects: stickleback more on directly active information how stickeback's internal processes have characters for it stickleback as conscious subject no further cognitive sophistication is required language is not necessary blindsight why there coudn't be zombies is consciousness all-or-nothing? subjects of raw feeling. Part 6 The character of raw feeling what seems to be trouble why bald identity theory won't help failure of inner sense approach inverter operation shoemaker's martians a structure of contrasts what determines which way round? alternative vision where does this leave functionalism. Part 7 The gap has been bridged: is there still a mystery? inverted spectrum strikes again - or does it? question of necessary connection an impossible requirement Nagel's challenge argument from knowledge facts beyond reach of human concepts the real nature of human experience a last look at intelligibility gap.