What is it to have consciousness? This is a contentious argument within the philosophy community. Some philosophers believe that consciousness is merely a state of being, while others do not. David Chalmers is a philosopher from Australia, who specializes in the mind (431). He argues that the mind is more then just material. “The Hard Problem of Consciousness” by Chalmers, contains six sections, but we will focus on the fourth section. In section four Chalmers offers an argument against materialism, meaning that nothing exists the matter around us. Chalmers’ claim against materialism rests upon the questionable assumption that his idea of a philosophical zombie.
In order to understand Chalmers’ arguments against materialism, we first must ask ourselves, what is a philosophical …show more content…
Chalmers first argument is of a metaphorical God that created a zombie world; in this world there is only matter and no consciousness. Again he relies solely on the idea that his philosophical zombie idea is sound. He writes, “To see this, note that because there is no contradiction in the idea of a zombie” (436), but his argument is flawed. Another question that arises is, why would God create a zombie world? What does God benefit from by creating two worlds? Since these questions arise, one can’t accept Chalmers’ stance against materialism. Chalmers’ second argument against materialism is that of a possible world. He argues that there are two possibilities of worlds, one that is mainly physical and the other world contains materialism (436). Chalmers’ emphasizes that, “if there is a possible world in which there are physical processes jut like those in our world but no consciousness, then consciousness does not follow” (436). The major weakness in this argument is again his idea of zombies, also why are they in a world just as ours and acting as though we do? For these reasons Chalmers’ claims are not
In order to understand Chalmers’ arguments against materialism, we first must ask ourselves, what is a philosophical …show more content…
Chalmers first argument is of a metaphorical God that created a zombie world; in this world there is only matter and no consciousness. Again he relies solely on the idea that his philosophical zombie idea is sound. He writes, “To see this, note that because there is no contradiction in the idea of a zombie” (436), but his argument is flawed. Another question that arises is, why would God create a zombie world? What does God benefit from by creating two worlds? Since these questions arise, one can’t accept Chalmers’ stance against materialism. Chalmers’ second argument against materialism is that of a possible world. He argues that there are two possibilities of worlds, one that is mainly physical and the other world contains materialism (436). Chalmers’ emphasizes that, “if there is a possible world in which there are physical processes jut like those in our world but no consciousness, then consciousness does not follow” (436). The major weakness in this argument is again his idea of zombies, also why are they in a world just as ours and acting as though we do? For these reasons Chalmers’ claims are not