James Fodor – Consciousness Demystified: A Skeptics Guide to Qualia
Many philosophers and even some scientists have long argued that conscious experiences cannot be explained within a materialist worldview. In this talk I will argue that such views arise from conceptual confusion and implausible ideas about the nature of consciousness and how it relates to the mind. After clarifying such foundational issues, I explain how conscious experiences can be understood as mental representations which are attentionally salient for an organism at a given time. I will then defend this representational theory of consciousness from objections arising from thought experiments such as Mary’s room and p-zombies. I conclude with an argument that although questions remain, consciousness poses no special challenges for materialism.
James is a PhD student in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Melbourne. His research focuses on analysing computational models of how complex semantic concepts are represented in the brain. Outside of research, James has a keen interest in science, philosophy, and critical thinking. He hosts a YouTube channel where he discusses philosophy of religion and is author of the book Unreasonable Faith. He is passionate about Effective Altruism, including causes such as global poverty and animal welfare.
Skeptics Café will be held in the Function Room at The Stolberg Hotel, 197 Plenty Road Preston. The 86 tram route is close, and Bell train station – situated on the Epping line – is a short walk away. It will also be a virtual event accessible via Zoom, as per the details above.
Start Time: 6:00pm for dinner and a chat. 7:30pm for beginning of the talk.
We aim to wrap up after 9:00pm.
Donation appreciated: $5.00