[210] A Theory of Sentience By Austen Clark

[210] A Theory of Sentience By Austen Clark

From Branches of Philosophy Podcast by Philosophy Cognitive Science

August 2, 2025 · 54 min

About this episode

Austen Clark discusses his philosophical theory of sentience and its implications for understanding sensory experience.

Ai generated & human edited. Introduction and summary of "A Theory of Sentience" By Austen Clark 2000 'A Theory of Sentience is as valuable for the questions it opens up as for the positive theory it puts forward. Austen Clark has brought to our attention a way of thinking about the details of sensory experience which opens up possibilities for fruitful interaction between philosophy, pscychophysics and the neurosciences. It is refreshing to read an exploration of sensory experience which fixes the terrain of investigation firmly within the actual world and which works hard to define tractable problems based around the basic, but often neglected, truth that sensory experience is sensory experience of a three-dimensional environment.' -Mind'There is much of interest to cognitive scientists working on the intentionality of sensation.' -Barbara Montero, Times Literary SupplementAusten Clark presents a ground-breaking philosophical theory of sentience, drawing on and illuminating an abundance of scientific work on this subject. Sensation is one of the fundamental elements of consciousness, but has generally been assigned a lowly place in the mental hierarchy; Clark's…

People in this episode

Guest: Austen Clark

Topics covered

  • sentience
  • philosophy
  • cognitive science
  • sensory experience
  • consciousness

Keywords

  • sentience
  • Austen Clark
  • philosophy
  • cognitive science
  • sensory experience
  • consciousness
  • psychophysics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mind, Times Literary Supplement

More episodes of Branches of Philosophy Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Branches of Philosophy Podcast podcast page.