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    Carmelics

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    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Original/inverse
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    Inverse View

    It is not the case that Interpersonal comparisons of qualia do not make sense

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    Reasons For

    2 perspectives
    Reason for 1 of 2
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    • 1.Wittgenstein's private language argument implies that qualia concepts derive their meaning from public, interpersonal linguistic practices.
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    • 2.If qualia terms are semantically grounded in shared behavioral and linguistic contexts, then interpersonal comparisons inherit that same grounding.
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    • 3.Therefore, the Frege-Schlick view presupposes a private ostensive definition of qualia that Wittgenstein's argument shows to be incoherent.
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    Reason for 2 of 2
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    • 1.Functionalist accounts (e.g., Lewis, Armstrong) identify qualia by their causal-functional roles within a system, roles which are publicly specifiable.
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    • 2.If qualia are individuated by functional roles, then interpersonal comparisons reduce to comparisons of structurally equivalent causal roles—an empirically tractable matter.
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    • 3.The verificationist dismissal thus proves too much, ruling out meaningful comparisons only by presupposing a non-functionalist, purely intrinsic conception of qualia.
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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.The Frege-Schlick view holds that interpersonal comparisons of qualia (unlike intrapersonal comparisons) lack meaning
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    • 2.Verificationist grounds support the claim that interpersonal qualitative comparisons are not meaningful
      ?

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