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Philosophy of Mind — Consciousness

Hard problem of consciousness, mental states, and theories of mind

Q
qualia_quest 22 terms Oct 19, 2025
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Terms 22

1
Hard Problem of Consciousness
Chalmers: explaining why physical processes give rise to subjective experience (qualia)
2
Qualia
Subjective, first-person character of experience; what it is like to see red, feel pain
3
Physicalism (Materialism)
Mind is entirely physical; mental states are brain states; no separate substance
4
Dualism
Mind and body are distinct substances; Descartes' substance dualism; problem of interaction
5
Property Dualism
One substance (physical) with two kinds of properties: physical and mental
6
Functionalism
Mental states defined by functional role (causal relations), not physical substrate; multiple realizability
7
Multiple Realizability
Same mental state could be realized by different physical systems; argument against type identity theory
8
Type Identity Theory
Mental types = physical types; pain = C-fiber firing; challenged by multiple realizability
9
Token Identity Theory
Each mental token = some physical token; allows multiple realizability
10
Eliminative Materialism
Folk psychology concepts (beliefs, desires) will be replaced by mature neuroscience; Churchland
11
Intentionality
Aboutness of mental states; minds represent things; Brentano's thesis
12
Chinese Room Argument
Searle: syntax (symbol manipulation) does not produce semantics (meaning); programs don't understand
13
Philosophical Zombie
Conceivable being physically identical to human but lacking consciousness; Chalmers' thought experiment
14
Inverted Qualia
Possibility that two people share same functional states but different qualitative experiences (inverted spectrum)
15
Global Workspace Theory
Baars/Dehaene: consciousness is information broadcast to many modules via global workspace
16
Integrated Information Theory (IIT)
Tononi: consciousness = integrated information (phi, Φ); any system with Φ>0 is conscious
17
Higher-Order Theories
Mental state is conscious only if represented by higher-order meta-cognitive state
18
Representationalism
Phenomenal character of experience is its representational content; experience represents world
19
Enactivism
Consciousness arises from organism-environment interaction; not purely brain-based
20
Panpsychism
Consciousness or proto-conscious properties present at fundamental level of reality
21
Free Will and Determinism
Can intentional action exist in deterministic or random physical world? Compatibilism, hard determinism
22
Personal Identity
What makes you the same person over time? Psychological continuity, physical continuity, narrative views