Abstract

Consciousness is simultaneously the most intimate, and the most mysterious aspect of our lives. In one sense, we know a lot about consciousness because we are conscious beings. We know what it’s like to look at a beautiful sunset, to have a dream, to think about politics, to taste a lemon tart, or to listen to music. These are all elements of our conscious lives that we are intimately familiar with, and we know a lot about consciousness from a first person point of view. In another sense, we know almost nothing about consciousness. We have no idea where it comes from, which animals have it, how it is related to the brain, and whether or not it is part of the normal physical world. In this talk, Dr Taylor will outline the phenomenon of consciousness, and why it has struck so many as so mysterious. Then he will look at the famous ‘zombie’ argument, which aims to show that consciousness is not a physical phenomenon. He will also suggest some ways we might make progress about this issue in the future.