qualia
KWAH-lee-uh
/ˈkwɑː.li.ə/
The individual instances of subjective, conscious experience, such as the felt quality of redness or the raw pain of a headache.
Plural noun (singular 'quale') referring specifically to the 'what it is like' aspect of conscious sensations.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'qualis', meaning 'of what kind'. American philosopher C.S. Peirce introduced 'qualia' into modern philosophy in 1866 to denote raw, unanalyzed qualities of experience.
Word relationships
- raw feelings: Informal term lacking the exact philosophical precision of qualia.
- physical data: Measurable, objective physical metrics that lack subjective experiential feel.
Commonly confused with
- quality: Quality means excellence or a characteristic property; qualia refers specifically to subjective conscious feelings.
Word family
- quale (noun): A single instance of subjective sensory experience (singular form of qualia).
Collocations
- subjective qualia
- sensory qualia
- the problem of qualia
- ineffable qualia
Example sentences
- "Philosophers often argue whether a machine capable of processing visual data could ever actually experience qualia like the vibrant hue of crimson." Philosophy of Mind
- "The puzzle of explaining why physical brain processes produce qualia is known as the hard problem of consciousness." Cognitive Science
Memory hook
QUALIA = QUALITY of conscious experience (what it feels like). The raw feel of a red rose.
When not to use
Do not use for general thoughts, ideas, or physical nerve impulses; it specifically denotes raw experiential felt qualities.
Fun facts
- The famous 'Mary the Color Scientist' thought experiment asks whether a scientist who knows everything about light but lived in a black-and-white room learns something new when she finally sees red qualia.
Related words
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