Dr. Mihretu Guta on The Nature of Consciousness
On this archive “bingecast” episode of Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Angus Menuge welcome Dr. Mihretu Guta to discuss his contribution to the book Minding the Brain. Dr. Guta discusses the nature of consciousness and the challenges in understanding it from a philosophical perspective. He argues that consciousness is a unique property that is deeply subjective and personal, making it difficult to study scientifically. Guta contrasts first-order and second-order approaches to understanding consciousness, emphasizing the need to go beyond just the empirical observation of mental phenomena and examine the underlying metaphysical and ontological questions. The discussion covers a number of relevant topics, highlighting the profound and puzzling nature of consciousness and the importance of philosophical inquiry in grappling with this fundamental aspect of human experience.
Later in the conversation, the focus turns to the unique relationship between consciousness and the bearer of consciousness. The idea that consciousness cannot exist independently of the person or entity experiencing it poses challenges for standard philosophical views of properties, such as Platonism and Aristotelianism, which struggle to account for the individual, non-shareable nature of consciousness. Dr. Guta emphasizes the need to investigate consciousness on its own terms, rather than forcing it into preconceived metaphysical frameworks. He also calls for greater collaboration between philosophers and scientists to make progress in understanding the nature of consciousness.
Dig Deeper
- Read Dr. Guta’s chapter in the volume Minding the Brain!
- Another book by Dr. Guta: Consciousness and the Ontology of Properties
