Here, where? A puzzle for olfactory experience’s spatiality
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences May 13, 2026 DOI: 10.33735/phimisci.2026.12520 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the conflict between olfactory spatial indeterminacy and the experience of externality can only be resolved by accepting non-obvious phenomenological aspects, which modifies the claim of spatial indeterminacy. |
Abstract
In this paper, I argue that two plausible claims for olfactory experience, (i) that modality is spatially indeterminate regarding the spatial location of what it presents and (ii) that whatever it presents, it is experienced as external to the perceiver’s body, are in conflict with one another. I argue that a satisfactory answer to this puzzle requires us to accept as part of olfactory phenomenology aspects of experience that do not obviously belong to olfactory experience. I claim that this ultimately leads to a modification of the idea that olfactory experience is spatially indeterminate.