I, zombie.

Full Abstract

Certain recent philosophical theories offer the prospect that zombies are possible. These theories argue that experiential contents, or qualia, are nonphysical properties. The arguments are based on the conceivability of alternate worlds in which physical laws and properties remain the same, but in which qualia either differ or are absent altogether. This article maintains that qualia are, on the contrary, physical properties in the world. It is shown how, under the burden of the a posteriori identification of qualia with physical properties, a reasoned choice can be made between the two types of theories which ultimately favors materialism and rejects zombies.Copyright 2001 Elsevier Science (USA).

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Author information

Author/s: Skokowski, Paul (P);

Affiliation: Symbolic Systems Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2150, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Consciousness and cognition (Conscious Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Mar; vol 11 (issue 1) : pp 1-9

Dates: Created 2002/03/08; Completed 2002/04/09; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 11883985, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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