What is the argument from consciousness and qualia as a justification for belief in the existence of God?

Philosophy Existence Of God Questions



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What is the argument from consciousness and qualia as a justification for belief in the existence of God?

The argument from consciousness and qualia as a justification for belief in the existence of God is based on the idea that the subjective experience of consciousness and qualia cannot be fully explained by naturalistic or materialistic explanations. Proponents of this argument argue that the existence of consciousness and qualia, which are subjective and non-physical aspects of our experience, point towards the existence of a higher power or a divine being.

According to this argument, consciousness and qualia are not reducible to physical processes or brain activity alone. They argue that even though science can explain the physical mechanisms that underlie consciousness, it fails to explain the subjective experience itself. The argument suggests that the existence of consciousness and qualia require a non-physical explanation, which is often attributed to the existence of God.

Furthermore, proponents of this argument claim that the existence of consciousness and qualia also imply the existence of an objective moral order. They argue that the subjective experience of moral values and duties cannot be explained solely by evolutionary or societal factors. Instead, they propose that the existence of objective moral values and duties points towards a transcendent source, which is often associated with God.

Overall, the argument from consciousness and qualia posits that the existence of these subjective experiences, along with the presence of objective moral values, provide evidence for the existence of God as the best explanation for these phenomena.