Quining and Unquining Qualia

Quining and Unquining Qualia critically examines Daniel Dennett’s claim that qualia—our subjective sensations—are illusions that should be dismissed from consciousness studies. The book introduces the ‘epistemic distance hypothesis,’ proposing that qualia are essential aspects of consciousness but lie beyond the reach of current scientific methods. It further argues that qualia distinguish human experience from artificial intelligence, challenging their elimination. Aimed at philosophers of mind, cognitive scientists, psychologists, and AI researchers, this book is also a valuable resource for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate philosophy students. It offers fresh insights into the debate on consciousness, the limits of science, and the human-AI divide, making it a key text for those exploring these philosophical challenges.