The Problem of Consciousness

Summary

The chapter explores philosophical questions about consciousness, particularly focusing on how it relates to other features of reality. It examines the alleged explanatory gap between consciousness and physical processes, aiming to clarify the source of this gap and its implications. The discussion emphasizes the complexity of understanding consciousness within a physical framework.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Consciousness raises a range of philosophical questions. We can distinguish between the How?, Where?, and What? questions. First, how does consciousness relate to other features of reality? Second, where are conscious phenomena located in reality? And, third, what is the nature of consciousness? In line with much philosophical writing over the past fifty years, this chapter will focus mostly on the How? question. What makes the question difficult is the existence of an alleged explanatory gap between consciousness and physical processes. This chapter is devoted to the source of this explanatory gap and to the philosophical implications of a correct conception of this source.