The meta-problem and the transfer of knowledge between theories of consciousness: a software engineer's take
arXiv Preprint Archive February 18, 2019 Marcel Kvassay
Two distinct explanations of phenomenal intuitions—one reductive and one strongly non-reductive—are examined, and two ideas are identified that could benefit many theories of consciousness. First, sophisticated agent architectures with purely physical implementation may support functional forms of qualia or proto-qualia, implying the possibility of machine consciousness with qualia for both reductive and non-reductive theories that view consciousness as ubiquitous. Second, introspective psychological material suggests that below ordinary waking awareness there exist submerged or subliminal layers of consciousness that form a hidden foundation and source of phenomenal intuitions. These layers may help explain puzzling phenomena in subliminal perception, such as apparently unconscious multisensory integration and learning of subliminal stimuli.