b. 1950
Robert Van Gulick is an American philosopher of mind at Syracuse University, known for his work on consciousness, mental representation, and the explanatory gap. He has made significant contributions to debates about reductive and non-reductive physicalism, particularly regarding whether phenomenal consciousness can be explained in functional or physical terms.
Developed influential analyses of the explanatory gap and higher-order theories of consciousness
Contributed major entry on consciousness to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Advanced arguments on the limits of reductive explanation for phenomenal experience
Extensive work on mental representation and intentionality