Hmm. It appears to me that Qualia are whatever observations affect indexical claims, and anything that affects indexical claims is a qualia
I don’t think so, here is a counter-example:
Alice and Bob start talking in a room. Alice has an identical twin, Alex. Bob doesn’t know about the twin and thinks he’s talking to Alex. Bob asks: “How are you today?”. Before Alice responds, Alex walks in.
Bob’s observation of Alex will surprise him, and he’ll quickly figure out that something’s going on. But more importantly: Bob’s observation of Alex alters the indexical ‘you’ in “How are you today?” (at least compared to Bob’s intent, and it might change for Alice if she realises Bob was mistaken, too).
I don’t think this is anything close to describing qualia. The experience of surprise can be a quale, the feeling of discovering something can be a quale (eureka moments), the experience of the colour blue is a quale, but the observation of Alex is not.
An indexical is, roughly speaking, a linguistic expression whose reference can shift from context to context. For example, the indexical ‘you’ may refer to one person in one context and to another person in another context.
That’s a well constructed example I think, but no that seems to be a completely different sense of “indexical”. The concept of indexical uncertainty we’re interested in is… I think… uncertainty about which kind of body or position in the universe your seat of consciousness is in, given that there could be more than one. The Sleeping Beauty problem is the most widely known example. The mirror chamber was another example.
The concept of indexical uncertainty we’re interested in is… I think… uncertainty about which kind of body or position in the universe your seat of consciousness is in, given that there could be more than one.
I’m not sure I understand yet, but does the following line up with how you’re using the word?
Indexical uncertainty is uncertainty around the exact matter (or temporal location of such matter) that is directly facilitating, and required by, a mind. (this could be your mind or another person’s mind)
Notes:
“exact” might be too strong a word
I added “or temporal location of such matter” to cover the sleeping beauty case (which, btw, I’m apparently a halfer or double halfer according to wikipedia’s classifications, but haven’t thought much about it)
Edit/PS: I think my counter-example with Alice, Alex, and Bob still works with this definition.
I don’t think so, here is a counter-example:
Alice and Bob start talking in a room. Alice has an identical twin, Alex. Bob doesn’t know about the twin and thinks he’s talking to Alex. Bob asks: “How are you today?”. Before Alice responds, Alex walks in.
Bob’s observation of Alex will surprise him, and he’ll quickly figure out that something’s going on. But more importantly: Bob’s observation of Alex alters the indexical ‘you’ in “How are you today?” (at least compared to Bob’s intent, and it might change for Alice if she realises Bob was mistaken, too).
I don’t think this is anything close to describing qualia. The experience of surprise can be a quale, the feeling of discovering something can be a quale (eureka moments), the experience of the colour blue is a quale, but the observation of Alex is not.
Do you agree with this? (It’s from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/indexicals/)
Btw, ‘qualia’ is the plural form of ‘quale’
That’s a well constructed example I think, but no that seems to be a completely different sense of “indexical”. The concept of indexical uncertainty we’re interested in is… I think… uncertainty about which kind of body or position in the universe your seat of consciousness is in, given that there could be more than one. The Sleeping Beauty problem is the most widely known example. The mirror chamber was another example.
I’m not sure I understand yet, but does the following line up with how you’re using the word?
Indexical uncertainty is uncertainty around the exact matter (or temporal location of such matter) that is directly facilitating, and required by, a mind. (this could be your mind or another person’s mind)
Notes:
“exact” might be too strong a word
I added “or temporal location of such matter” to cover the sleeping beauty case (which, btw, I’m apparently a halfer or double halfer according to wikipedia’s classifications, but haven’t thought much about it)
Edit/PS: I think my counter-example with Alice, Alex, and Bob still works with this definition.