Phenomenal Content and the Role of Concepts in Visual Perception

Abstract

Along with representational or intentional character, we include phenomenal content of all the perceptual states. Phenomenal consciousness includes the feeling that what we perceive is there. But in the case of hallucination, there is no object to refer. Our phenomenal content of perceptual experience depends on the conceptual framework of the perceived object resides in the perceiver. To show the importance of phenomenal knowledge, we can take help of the ‘knowledge argument’. We need the relevant experience to have relevant phenomenal concepts. If we do not apply concepts to our experience, we cannot grasp the full aspect of the phenomenal state. Qualia represent the world to the perceiver in a certain way, and so, perceiver perceives the world in a certain way.