Subjectivity, multiple drafts and the inconceivability of zombies and the inverted spectrum in this world

Elizabeth Schier*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Proponents of the hard problem of consciousness argue that the zombie and inverted spectrum thought experiments demonstrate that consciousness cannot be physical. They present scenarios designed to demonstrate that it is conceivable that a physical replica of someone can have radically different or no conscious experiences, that such an experience-less replica is possible and therefore that materialism is false. I will argue that once one understands the limitations that the physics of this world puts on cognitive systems, zombies and the inverted spectrum are not conceivable.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)845-853
    Number of pages9
    JournalTopoi
    Volume38
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Dec 2019

    Keywords

    • Chamers
    • Conceivability
    • Consciousness
    • Dennett
    • Hard problem
    • Inverted spectrum
    • Multiple drafts
    • Subjectivity
    • Type-Q materialism
    • Zombies

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Subjectivity, multiple drafts and the inconceivability of zombies and the inverted spectrum in this world'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this