Analysis
In the following passage, Nagel argues physicalism to strengthen the idea of subjective character:
While an account of the physical basis of mind must explain many things, this appears to be the most difficult. It is impossible to exclude the phenomenological features of experience from a reduction in the same way that one excludes the phenomenal features of an ordinary substance from a physical or chemical reduction of it---namely, by explaining them as effects on the mind of human observers. If physicalism is to be defended, the phenomenological features must themselves be given a physical account. But when we examine their subjective character it seems that such a result is impossible. The reason is that every subjective phenomenon …show more content…
Nagel revolves around the importance of subjective character. Nagel is a firm believer in how consciousness is what makes something what it is (not including inanimate things). It is what makes a human a human and a bat a bat. This consciousness is not one that can be altered. As human beings, we understand a vast amount of knowledge, and this knowledge we can only put forth an experience that we presume a bat is having. We as humans can analyze how a bat perceives its’ world from a scientific standpoint. We know bats use sonar location to perceive the world around them. Sonar location is an example of a phenomenon that we understand based solely upon research. Sonar location, along with other phenomenons are easy for humans to replicate in a scientific …show more content…
Race, social class, religion, sex, etc., are all forms of discrimination, but the form that irritates me the most is disability discrimination. All forms of discrimination make me sick to my stomach, but disability is the most prominent to me. Individuals with physical disabilities lack commons features that a normal human possesses. If we only focus on how that individual can perform in life based on a physical standpoint, then how will this individual ever find a sufficient meaning in life? Some may be born with physical defects and some may acquire them due to accident, but no one chooses to obtain them. If someone possesses something out of their own will, then why should they be treated different. When someone is oblivious to the subjectiveness of individuals it is appalling to me, and with physicalism it is definitely
In the following passage, Nagel argues physicalism to strengthen the idea of subjective character:
While an account of the physical basis of mind must explain many things, this appears to be the most difficult. It is impossible to exclude the phenomenological features of experience from a reduction in the same way that one excludes the phenomenal features of an ordinary substance from a physical or chemical reduction of it---namely, by explaining them as effects on the mind of human observers. If physicalism is to be defended, the phenomenological features must themselves be given a physical account. But when we examine their subjective character it seems that such a result is impossible. The reason is that every subjective phenomenon …show more content…
Nagel revolves around the importance of subjective character. Nagel is a firm believer in how consciousness is what makes something what it is (not including inanimate things). It is what makes a human a human and a bat a bat. This consciousness is not one that can be altered. As human beings, we understand a vast amount of knowledge, and this knowledge we can only put forth an experience that we presume a bat is having. We as humans can analyze how a bat perceives its’ world from a scientific standpoint. We know bats use sonar location to perceive the world around them. Sonar location is an example of a phenomenon that we understand based solely upon research. Sonar location, along with other phenomenons are easy for humans to replicate in a scientific …show more content…
Race, social class, religion, sex, etc., are all forms of discrimination, but the form that irritates me the most is disability discrimination. All forms of discrimination make me sick to my stomach, but disability is the most prominent to me. Individuals with physical disabilities lack commons features that a normal human possesses. If we only focus on how that individual can perform in life based on a physical standpoint, then how will this individual ever find a sufficient meaning in life? Some may be born with physical defects and some may acquire them due to accident, but no one chooses to obtain them. If someone possesses something out of their own will, then why should they be treated different. When someone is oblivious to the subjectiveness of individuals it is appalling to me, and with physicalism it is definitely