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Phenomenal Holism and Cognitive Phenomenology
1Department of Philosophy, University of Graz, Heinrichstrasse 26/5, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Erkenntnis
|October 17, 2023
Summary
This study explores the nature of conscious thought, arguing that how we describe its subjective feel (phenomenology) impacts its explanatory role. It proposes a new liberal view of cognitive phenomenology that aligns with sensory experience.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Mind
- Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The cognitive phenomenology debate questions the nature and function of subjective experience in conscious thought.
- Existing views, conservatism and liberalism, offer differing perspectives on the role of phenomenology.
- Weak phenomenal holism (WPH) suggests sensory experiences are interconnected, influencing cognitive states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between characterizing cognitive phenomenology and its explanatory power.
- To assess the compatibility of conservatism and liberalism with weak phenomenal holism (WPH).
- To propose an improved version of liberalism that accounts for phenomenology's role in constituting conscious thought.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of sensory experience phenomenology to establish weak phenomenal holism (WPH).
- Integration of WPH into existing conservative and liberal accounts of cognitive phenomenology.
- Argumentation for the explanatory power of different phenomenological stances.
Main Results:
- Conservatism, when combined with WPH, renders cognitive phenomenology a non-explanatory concomitant phenomenon.
- Liberalism demonstrates greater explanatory power regarding the constitution of conscious thoughts under WPH.
- A novel version of liberalism is presented, aligning phenomenology with WPH for constituting conscious thought.
Conclusions:
- The characterization of cognitive phenomenology significantly impacts its explanatory role in conscious thought.
- Weak phenomenal holism (WPH) challenges conservative views, favoring liberalism's explanatory capacity.
- The proposed liberal account offers a robust framework for understanding how phenomenology constitutes conscious thought.
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