Chapter 1

Introduction

Paulo J. Negro

Abstract

Hidden pathways allow the emergence of subjective experiences from matter, for the emergence of something out of nothing. David Chalmers aptly named the attempt to unveil such pathways as the Hard Problem of Consciousness. Qualia are the subjective characteristics of experiences, such as the experience of “greenness” elicited by the green color. The Hard Problem of Consciousness corresponds to the search for the origin of qualia. This book divides the Hard Problem in two complementary components: an operation for the realization of awareness and the actual content of this awareness. Although the brains of different species might meet different conditions for the development of species-specific consciousness, all conscious brains share a mechanism that turns matter into experience. This book emphasizes the epistemological distinction between descriptions of the neurological landscapes of species-specific conscious experiences, and a theory that explains consciousness in all kinds of conscious brains.

Total Pages: 1-3 (3)

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