Qualia

:This article is about the philosophical concept. For the electronics brand, see Qualia (Sony)

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Qualia (singular: "quale", pronounced KWAHL-ay) are most simply defined as the properties of sensory experiences by virtue of which there is something it is like to have them. These properties are, by definition, epistemically unknowable in the absence of direct experience of them; as a result, they are also incommunicable. The existence or lack of these properties is a hotly debated topic in contemporary philosophy of mind.

Related Topics:
Properties - Sensory experiences - Epistemically - Philosophy of mind

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Qualia have played a major role in contemporary philosophy of mind, largely because they are often seen as being a de facto refutation of physicalism. There is some debate over the precise definition of qualia, as various philosophers emphasize or deny the existence of certain properties.

Related Topics:
Physicalism - Philosophers

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