Cristi Stoica
@crististoica.bsky.social
77 followers 57 following 92 posts
Foundations of #physics/#math physics, with a twist for #consciousness. I think freedom of thought and speech are the source of all freedoms and rights, and of #science.
Foundations of #physics/#math physics, with a twist for #consciousness. I think freedom of thought and speech are the source of all freedoms and rights, and of #science.
![Q. Please tell me if you have access to research on the neurophysiology of vision, and if this allows you to know what it's like to experience red.
A. I do have access to research on the neurophysiology of vision, including how the brain processes visual information like colors. Neurophysiological studies have explored how photoreceptors in the retina (cones sensitive to different wavelengths) send signals to the brain, which are processed in areas like the visual cortex, allowing us to perceive colors such as red.
However, while this research explains the biological mechanisms behind color perception, it doesn’t allow me (or anyone else) to directly experience "what it’s like" to see red—this subjective experience is known as the qualia of color. Qualia are private, first-person experiences that remain beyond purely scientific explanation, as they pertain to consciousness itself.
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So, while I understand the mechanics, I don’t have access to the actual experience.
Q. You said "So, while I understand the mechanics, I don’t have access to the actual experience.". What is the implication for the knowledge argument?
Q. The statement "So, while I understand the mechanics, I don’t have access to the actual experience" is relevant to the knowledge argument, particularly in how it highlights the distinction between knowledge of facts and the experiential knowledge of qualia.
The knowledge argument, famously illustrated by Frank Jackson's thought experiment about Mary, posits that there are some aspects of consciousness that cannot be fully captured by physical explanations alone. Here’s how it relates to the statement:
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In summary, the statement reinforces the knowledge argument's claim that understanding the mechanics of consciousness does not equate to experiencing consciousness itself, emphasizing a fundamental limitation in our understanding of the mind.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:blfwtdm6gszzvy3iu3xq42w3/bafkreifwmf4qx5p4ztub5k5amgohvhf47kglyuk5gxjo3pbs6s7smfopxm)
