Graduation Year

2014

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

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Best Senior Thesis in Philosophy

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Philosophy

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Dustin Locke

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© 2014 Lucas Jon Van Houten

Abstract

Structuralist theories of properties state that properties are individuated by their nomological or causal roles. It has previously been suggested that structuralism is incompatible with robust conceptions of qualia. In this paper, I argue that structuralism should be taken as a theory of de re representation, and under this formulation it is able to accommodate qualia as intrinsic, introspectable properties of experiences. I then turn to various thought experiments used by qualia theorists to expand the notion of qualia, and find the majority of these compatible with structuralism as well. I conclude that the structuralists and qualia theorists need not be at odds with each other.

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  • Best Thesis in Philosophy

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