Understanding Phenomenal Experience as a Natural Part of Our World

The natural sciences physics, chemistry and biology provide compelling accounts of our world. They contain, however, no overt mention of mental states and in particular the mental states with a phenomenology: states like itches and colour experiences. The challenge for naturalists is locate these states within the naturalist picture. This project develops and draws on representationalist accounts of mind to explain how to locate mental states that have a phenomenology within the naturalist s picture. This will yield new perspectives on the mental lives of machines.