Phenomenal Concepts and Phenomenal Knowledge
New Essays on Consciousness and Physicalism
Alter, Torin Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama
Walter, Sven Junior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Universität Bielefeld
Print publication date: 2007 (this edition)
Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: January 2007
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-19-517165-5
doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171655.003.0006
 

Janet Levin
This chapter presents a version of the phenomenal concept strategy based on a limited defense of the “demonstrative account” of phenomenal concepts. In this account, phenomenal concepts pick out their referents directly, much like demonstratives, without mediation by any mode of presentation. It is argued that this shows that many type-B materialists appeal to this account to help explain why there is an epistemic gap but no metaphysical gap, and that the account can meet objections present elsewhere. It is further argued that recent emendations to the account, including those by Katalin Balog, Block, Papineau, and Levine, concede too much to the antiphysicalists while accomplishing too little. Demonstrative theorists are urged to return to their roots.
Keywords: demonstrative account, phenomenal concepts, materialists, epistemic gap
doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171655.003.0006
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Part One Phenomenal Knowledge
Part two Phenomenal Concepts