What is the argument from consciousness and qualia as a proof of the existence of God?

Philosophy Existence Of God Questions



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What is the argument from consciousness and qualia as a proof of the existence of God?

The argument from consciousness and qualia as a proof of the existence of God posits that the existence of subjective conscious experiences and qualia cannot be adequately explained by purely physical or materialistic explanations. These subjective experiences, such as the sensation of pain or the perception of colors, are considered to be non-physical and immaterial aspects of our consciousness.

Proponents of this argument argue that since physical and materialistic explanations fail to account for the existence and nature of consciousness and qualia, there must be a non-physical, transcendent entity, such as God, that is responsible for these phenomena. They contend that God, as an immaterial being, is capable of bestowing consciousness and qualia upon human beings.

However, it is important to note that this argument is not universally accepted and has been subject to criticism. Critics argue that the argument from consciousness and qualia does not necessarily lead to the existence of God, as there could be alternative explanations for these subjective experiences that do not require a supernatural entity. Additionally, some argue that the argument relies on gaps in our current scientific understanding and may be subject to future scientific explanations.