Unapologetic Phenomenological Approach to the Study of Consciousness

The author recounts a ten-year personal and intellectual journey with the 'hard problem' of consciousness, initially inspired by David Chalmers's essay. Over time, the author came to see Chalmers's framing as a cliché that held back progress. The text presents a series of failed attempts to study consciousness—through contradiction, construction, and phenomenology—each ending in frustration. The author argues that no important word has yet been said about the study of consciousness, but dismisses even that claim as a hollow platitude. Ultimately, the piece is a reflective, critical essay on the impasse in consciousness studies.

Study at a glance

Abstract

How I Lost All Interest in the Study of Consciousness and SurvivedPrologue: In 2008, when I was still a MA student, I came across an essay by David Chalmers.At the time, I had not heard about either Chal mers or consciousness, and I eagerly rushed to share this mind-blowing revelation with my favorite lecturer, only to hear that this was old news.Still, it felt like a bomb had just been dropped on me; there is something called the hard prob lem-the subjective experience-and science does not even know how to approach it.For quite a while, my life revolved around this prob lem.Only after a ten-year journey, I realized that in many ways, Chal mers held me back and the eloquent and dazzling article he wrote is nothing but a clich, one that is particularly hard to shake off.Games: With every passing year, I feel how people around me have more and more to say about the hard prob lem of consciousness, while my words seem to slip through my fin gers.Many aspire to make a career for themselves in this field, and the words pile up in a steaming heap.I have to confess that I too take part in this game-what a waste.Attempt 1: contradiction.We are not Turing machines; we do not engage in information pro cessing.We do not represent the world, consciousness is not inside, and consciousness does not operate within the known laws of physics.I am overwhelmed with aphorisms; I know too much.Worse, I am too self-aware, and it holds me back.I am almost tempted to say that those who proclaim that not a single impor tant word has yet been said about the study of consciousness are correct.But that is also a hollow platitude, one that is perhaps even more dangerous than Chal mers's clich.Attempt 2: construction.Consciousness originates in nothingness, or perhaps consciousness is the total thrownness into the world.All or nothing.We've made zero pro gress.Attempt 3: phenomenology.While I am writing this text, consciousness slips through my fin gers.I listen to Ludovico Einaudi's piano, the black coffee does its thing; I am inundated yet empty.Glenn Gould's magic lies in the moments of silence between the sounds.Consciousness is in the moments of silence, but also in the relentless thoughts that do not stop for a second, and the fin gers-we mustn't forget about the fin gers.All the while, I keep thinking: This is lame, pathetic, who still has the time for more reflection? 1 Unapologetic Phenomenological Approach to the Study of Consciousness