description Ned Block Overview
Ned Block is an American philosopher of mind and cognitive science, born in 1942, who serves as a professor at New York University. He is best known for introducing the analytical distinction between phenomenal consciousness, which relates to subjective sensory experience, and access consciousness, which involves information being available for cognitive processing. His extensive research addresses the hard problem of consciousness, mental imagery, and cognitive architecture. Block's work is foundational reading for students and scholars in analytic philosophy.
help Ned Block FAQ
What is Ned Block's most famous contribution to philosophy of mind?
He is best known for introducing the influential distinction between access consciousness and phenomenal consciousness. He defined phenomenal consciousness as the subjective, raw experience of a state (often called "qualia"), while access consciousness refers to the information being available for reasoning and action.
Where did Ned Block teach and work?
Block has been a prominent professor at New York University (NYU) in the departments of philosophy and psychology. Before joining NYU, he also taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
What is Ned Block's China Brain thought experiment?
The China Brain is a famous thought experiment he proposed to argue against functionalism. It asks if the billion people in China simulating a brain's functional organization would result in a collective phenomenal consciousness.
What is Ned Block's stance on animal consciousness?
He has argued that there is strong evidence that many animals possess phenomenal consciousness, primarily relying on the homology of their neurological structures with humans. He notably debated this conclusion with other philosophers like Peter Carruthers.
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