Image of Colin McGinn
As seen in previous blog posts in PhiloMind, philosophers approach the idea of consciousness in various ways. Many of the approaches share the similarity of assuming that understanding consciousness is an achievable feat, albeit a very difficult one. However, philosopher Colin McGinn takes a more radical approach with his idea of "New Mysterianism" by saying we, as humans, cannot figure out consciousness.
McGinn uses the idea of New Mysterianism to approach consciousness. According to this idea, consciousness is a phenomenon that is impossible for the human mind to understand (Cartesianism - Ideas, Self, Dualism | Britannica, n.d.). That is, the human mind does not have the capabilities to understand consciousness as a whole. McGinn does think that consciousness can come from physical processes that occur in the brain, but McGinn does not think that our minds can ever fully understand how our conscious experiences arise out of these processes. It is important to note that McGinn is not necessarily saying that we cannot understand consciousness at all. He says that we can understand the concept of consciousness but cannot determine its cause (Cartesianism - Ideas, Self, Dualism | Britannica, n.d.).
McGinn's unique view on consciousness has important implications. For one, it suggests that we as humans have limits to our knowledge that simply cannot be overcome. In addition, it suggests that we should not be so focused on why consciousness exists but rather how it functions. It also suggests that there may be other philosophical ideas that we may never fully understand, like free will, for example. Overall, McGinn's view of consciousness may help us reshape how we view the complex phenomenon.
References:
Cartesianism—Ideas, Self, Dualism | Britannica. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cartesianism/The-way-of-ideas-and-the-self
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