Philosophy of Mind

Thomas Nagel's 'qualia' argument states that physicalism cannot account for the subjective experience of consciousness, or 'qualia', such as the taste of coffee or the feeling of pain.

The 'hard problem of consciousness' is the problem of explaining how physical processes can give rise to the subjective experience of consciousness, or 'qualia'.

The 'zombie argument' is a thought experiment that imagines a zombie, a being that is physically identical to a human but lacks consciousness. If zombies are possible, then consciousness cannot be identical to physical processes.

The 'free will' problem is the problem of how to reconcile the idea of free will with the idea that all events are causally determined.

Compatibilists argue that free will is compatible with determinism, because free will does not require that our actions be uncaused.

Libertarians argue that free will is incompatible with determinism, because free will requires that our actions be uncaused.

The 'Frankfurt case' is a thought experiment that challenges the idea that free will requires that our actions be uncaused.

The 'knowledge argument' against physicalism argues that physicalism cannot account for our knowledge of the external world, because physical processes cannot give rise to knowledge.

The 'mystery of consciousness' is the problem of how consciousness arises from physical processes. This is considered to be one of the most difficult problems in philosophy.

The 'integrated information theory' of consciousness states that consciousness is a property of complex systems that are able to integrate information. This theory is based on the idea that consciousness is a global property of the brain, rather than a local property of individual neurons.

The 'panpsychist' theory of consciousness states that consciousness is a property of all matter. This theory is based on the idea that consciousness is a fundamental property of the universe, rather than a property that only arises in certain complex systems.

The 'emergentist' theory of consciousness states that consciousness is a property that emerges from complex systems. This theory is based on the idea that consciousness is a new property that arises when a system reaches a certain level of complexity.

The 'enactive' theory of consciousness states that consciousness is a property that arises from the interaction between an organism and its environment. This theory is based on the idea that consciousness is not a property of the brain alone, but rather a property of the entire organism-environment system.

Phenomenal consciousness is the subjective experience of consciousness. It is the 'what it is like' to be conscious.