Jackson’s “Epiphenomenal Qualia”

Question 1

What Is the Knowledge Argument?

Answer 1

Philosophy: Anti-Physicalism / Epiphenomenalism

Scenario: Mary, a scientist, knows all the physical facts about color vision but has never seen color herself. When she leaves her black-and-white room and sees red for the first time:

She learns something new.

Therefore, not all facts are physical facts.

⇒ Materialism is false.

Question 2

What Does Mary Teach Us About Qualia?

Answer 2

Key Claim: Mary learns what it’s like to see red—this knowledge wasn’t contained in the physical description.

Conclusion: There are phenomenal facts (qualia) that go beyond physical explanation.

Question 3

What Are Qualia According to Jackson?

Answer 3

Definition: Subjective, first-person aspects of experience (e.g., what it’s like to see red, feel pain).

Thesis: Qualia are epiphenomenal—they are caused by physical states but have no causal effects themselves.

Question 4

What Is Epiphenomenalism?

Answer 4

Claim: Mental states (including qualia) are caused by physical processes but do not cause anything physical in return.
🧠 → 😣
But 😣 → ✖️ (no effect)

Question 5

Objections to Epiphenomenalism

Answer 5

1.Mind-body interaction is observed (we feel like our thoughts influence actions).

2.Qualia must have evolved, so they must influence fitness (natural selection argument).

3. Evidence of other minds relies on behavior; if qualia have no effects, how do we infer others have them?

Question 6

Jackson’s Modal Argument Against Materialism

Answer 6

1.We can conceive of a world physically identical to ours but without consciousness.

2.What’s logically conceivable is metaphysically possible.

3.Consciousness doesn’t supervene on the physical.
⇒ Materialism is false.

Question 7

Difference Between Facts and Knowledge

Answer 7

Example:

Fact: Water = H2O

Knowledge: “Water” and “H2O” mean different things
⇒ Mary may know all the facts, but not all the ways to know them (e.g., by direct experience).

Question 8

Replies to Jackson’s Argument

Answer 8

Ability Hypothesis: Mary gains new abilities, not new knowledge (e.g., to recognize or imagine red).

Old Fact / New Mode: Mary knew the fact before, but in a new way (like learning Hesperus = Phosphorus).

Question 9

What Makes the Knowledge Argument So Powerful?

Answer 9

It shows that:

Physical knowledge ≠ full knowledge

Experience cannot be reduced to third-person descriptions

There are non-physical truths known only through phenomenal consciousness

Question 10

Philosophical Implications

Answer 10

Supports: Dualism, Property Dualism, Epiphenomenalism

Challenges: Physicalism, Functionalism, Reductionism