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Why We Should Lower Our Expectations about the Explanatory Gap
Author(s) -
CAMPBELL NEIL
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
theoria
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.34
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1755-2567
pISSN - 0040-5825
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-2567.2008.01027.x
Subject(s) - qualia , epistemology , explanatory model , physicalism , explanatory power , positive economics , work (physics) , economics , philosophy , metaphysics , physics , consciousness , quantum mechanics
I argue that the explanatory gap is generated by factors consistent with the view that qualia are physical properties. I begin by considering the most plausible current approach to this issue based on recent work by Valerie Hardcastle and Clyde Hardin. Although their account of the source of the explanatory gap and our potential to close it is attractive, I argue that it is too speculative and philosophically problematic. I then argue that the explanatory gap should not concern physicalists because it makes excessive demands on physical theory.