What it is like and beyond
May 23, 2018 DOI: 10.4324/9781315396347-5 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Siewert's thought experiment isolates phenomenal consciousness from any nonphenomenal benefits it might provide, and that without phenomenal consciousness there would be nothing it is like to token mental states or undergo mental episodes. Reads Levy's questioning of phenomenal consciousness's importance as a request for more theory. |
Abstract
Charles Siewert proposes various versions of an interesting thought experiment. It involves conceiving of one&s;s own mental life as lacking a certain feature – that of phenomenal consciousness. Siewert compares the loss of phenomenal consciousness to the loss of colour vision; it is akin to moving from a coloured world to a black-and-white world. Neil Levy is not denying that phenomenal consciousness has some non-derivative value. He is questioning the importance of what value it has. One way to read his argument, then, is as a request for more theory. Devoid of phenomenal consciousness, however, there would be nothing it is like to token such mental states and undergo such mental episodes. The point of the thought experiment is to isolate phenomenal consciousness from any of the nonphenomenal benefits that phenomenal consciousness might be thought to provide.