The hard problem makes the easy problems hard - a reply to Doerig et al.
Cognitive Neuroscience 2021 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2020.1838469 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Consciousness First-person perspective Functionalism Metacognition |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key points | Argues that the 'shut up and measure' approach to consciousness is not feasible because collecting consciousness data requires an implicit or explicit stance on the hard problem. |
Abstract
In their paper Doerig et al. argue that we should put the hard problem aside and focus on empirical data to solve the 'easy' problems of consciousness - finding the neural and functional correlates of consciousness. In other words 'shut up and measure'. This has worked well with other thorny issues, such as explaining life, so why not adopt this approach here? We argue that despite the popularity of this view it is not feasible. In order to collect any consciousness data one needs to take an implicit or explicit stance on the hard problem.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on philosophy of mind, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychosis as a state of aberrant salience: a framework linking biology, phenomenology, and pharmacology in schizophrenia. | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From dopamine to salience to psychosis--linking biology, pharmacology and phenomenology of psychosis. | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How do the brain's time and space mediate consciousness and its different dimensions? Temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC). | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The phenomenology of deep brain stimulation-induced changes in OCD: an enactive affordance-based model. | 2013 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Looking for the Self: Phenomenology, Neurophysiology and Philosophical Significance of Drug-induced Ego Dissolution | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- The myth of when and where: How false assumptions still haunt theories of consciousness. Consciousness and Cognition 2022
- Coupling first-person cognitive research with neurophilosophy and enactivism: An outline of arguments Adaptive Behavior July 19, 2024
- Reductionism by default: how implicit metaphysical assumptions influence psychiatric practice Konsulʹtativnaâ Psihologiâ i Psihoterapiâ December 22, 2025
- The fundamental challenge of a future theory of consciousness. Frontiers in Psychology January 12, 2023
- The Myth of When and Where: How False Assumptions Still Haunt Theories of Consciousness PsyArXiv August 28, 2021
and 1 more in the library