The Hard Problem of Consciousness asks why a subjective inner world (your mind) arises from objective physical processes (your brain). It's controversial because it's frequently misunderstood. People think it's about consciousness being caused by some supernatural thing other than your brain, so if scientists map the whole brain and correlate every physical process with every emotion, the problem no longer exists. This is a complete fallacy and misrepresentation of what the Hard Problem of Consciousness means. Many people who agree with the Hard Problem also believe your mind is completely based on physical deterministic processes in the brain and nothing else. The catch is: "The brain 100% causes the mind" does not mean "the brain 100% explains the mind".
In order to prove consciousness is really an unsolved and possibly eternally unsolvable problem, I first need to establish what we really refer to as "consciousness", which I would rather refer to as "subjective inner mind" to reduce ambiguity. To do that, I will introduce a special attribute that no objective thing in the world can possibly have, then show that what I call "subjective inner mind" does have that attribute. That attribute is: Certainty. Specifically, 100% totally absolutely certainty beyond any doubt (even unreasonable doubt).
Here are examples of things that are not 100% totally absolutely certain beyond any doubt (even unreasonable doubt):
- The Earth exists (maybe it's just a simulation)
- You have a brain, made of neurons (maybe your whole life and the whole world is a dream and your real brain is made of something else)
- You existed 1 second ago (You could be a simulation turned on just now, similar to "Last Thursdayism")
- Sure, the universe might be a simulation, but at least that simulation would exist.
- Sure, you might not have a brain, but something that thinks it has a brain and feels like it's "you" is experiencing something at this moment
- Sure, maybe you didn't exist 1 second ago, but at this very moment you are totally certain of feeling some experience in some way shape or form, even if you're not sure what physical form it takes.
You can be uncertain that there are other being that are absurdity certain, that's a proof some absurdity certainty isn't absurdity certain.
ReplyDeleteIs the hard problem the same as solipsism/problem of other minds ?
What is "absurdity certain"? I thought it was a technical term and looked it up but found no results. I'm not sure what point you're making but I suspect it's related to misinterpreting my point about certainty. Yes, you can only be certain of your own present-moment awareness. That's why the hard problem of consciousness only applies to yourself and not others. And at the end of the day that thing you are certain of, is indeed certain. Just because you're the only person who's certain of it, doesn't make it any less certain, because we already established that it's 100% certain (unless you disagree on that, in which case we need to go back and clarify the exact thing I'm claiming is "100% certain")
Delete"Is the hard problem the same as solipsism/problem of other minds ?" -- Related but not the same. Everyone agrees solipsism could be true but isn't worth considering. People are divided as to whether the hard problem is actually a hard problem.
Thoughtful blog thanks for posting.
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