What is the hard problem of consciousness?

Philosophy Consciousness Studies Questions



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What is the hard problem of consciousness?

The hard problem of consciousness refers to the challenge of understanding how and why subjective experiences arise from physical processes in the brain. It involves explaining why and how certain patterns of neural activity give rise to conscious experiences, such as the taste of chocolate or the feeling of pain. The hard problem is considered difficult because it is not simply a matter of explaining the functions or mechanisms of consciousness, but rather understanding the subjective nature of conscious experiences themselves.