The scrambling theorem: A simple proof of the logical possibility of spectrum inversion

The possibility of spectrum inversion has been debated since it was raised by Locke (1690/1979) and is still discussed because of its implications for functionalist theories of conscious experience (e.g., Palmer, 1999). This paper provides a mathematical formulation of the question of spectrum inver...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Consciousness and cognition 2006-03, Vol.15 (1), p.31-45
Main Author: Hoffman, Donald D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cognition & reasoning
Color
Consciousness
Consciousness - physiology
Empirical possibility
Humans
Locke
Logical possibility
Models, Psychological
Models, Statistical
Nonreductive functionalism
Qualia
Reductive functionalism
Representationalism
Spectrum inversion
Supervenience
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Summary:The possibility of spectrum inversion has been debated since it was raised by Locke (1690/1979) and is still discussed because of its implications for functionalist theories of conscious experience (e.g., Palmer, 1999). This paper provides a mathematical formulation of the question of spectrum inversion and proves that such inversions, and indeed bijective scramblings of color in general, are logically possible. Symmetries in the structure of color space are, for purposes of the proof, irrelevant. The proof entails that conscious experiences are not identical with functional relations. It leaves open the empirical possibility that functional relations might, at least in part, be causally responsible for generating conscious experiences. Functionalists can propose causal accounts that meet the normal standards for scientific theories, including numerical precision and novel prediction; they cannot, however, claim that, because functional relationships and conscious experiences are identical, any attempt to construct such causal theories entails a category error.
ISSN:1053-8100
1090-2376
DOI:10.1016/j.concog.2005.06.002