David Chalmers on Consciousness

David Chalmers is a leading thinker in contemporary philosophy of mind. He is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Consciousness at Australian National University.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Chalmers

Chalmers is known for being an avid critic of physicalism, believing that reductive approaches to the mind fail to appreciate the fundamental nature of consciousness. He is most widely known for sparking a revival of interest in property dualism, philosophical zombies, and for his formulation of the "Hard Problem of Consciousness."

Category:

Education

Tags:

• David Chalmers
• Consciousness
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophical Zombies
• Knowledge Argument
• Physicalism
• Property Dualism
• Hard Problem
• Qualia

[Huesos138]

I'm an atheist and I have a deep respect towards the sciences, especially the natural sciences. For a long time I almost found myself guilt-tripped into denying that there is an inherently subjective element to consciousness, but no longer; I've read a lot of articles dedicated to The Hard Problem, and I do not feel the least bit persuaded that the sciences are able to adequately capture the subjective elements of consciousness.

[AWDracer]

@Neueregel Elaborate. 

[bogtheforest]

Wow. I have absolutely no idea what anything is anymore.

[mikkwik]

were not conscious it just seems like we are

[ThumperThumpselevend]

@jazzyjayser I think when your born you dream yourself into existance, so is it the sub-concious that creates your now cousiousness ???

[football25]

I think this guy can win any staring contest.

[jazzyjayser]

childs' inability to recognise the reasoning behind everyday decisions and as adults the mind is exposed to religion and conflicting arguments, thus the mind is torn and it is this mingling of irrational beliefs which contradict one another which causes what is thought of as consciousness. The more one becomes ingrained in a belief, the less one is aware of their conscious self therefore eliminating the prospect of consciousness

[jazzyjayser]

Consciousness is nothing more than a void created by contradiction. a meaning(s) lacking in logic yet regarded as truth. Consciousness develops during the first few years because of the.

[TheApollo81]

@TheConcolor that's because no one has conducted on experiment to see if people are conscious, and neither could they. It's not testable. We're all just zombies, or you all are!

[TheApollo81]

@gamerunknown Well, I guess that means that there is the fallacy of composition to say that all is physical, because things are composed of the physical. But I don't think you feel that's a fallacy of composition.

[keyfeatures]

A rock doesn't behave like it's kicked until it's kicked. It has subjectivity. This is qualia.

[ThisOneIsTaken]

@Huesos138

I find myself in exactly the same situation. This said, it feels good to know there are still mysteries to unveil.