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Can a philosophical zombie, who has no qualia, see colours? At least he has eyes to perceive colours, then why does he need to have qualia to see colours?

Frank Hubeny
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linozase
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    Do [photodetectors](http://news.rice.edu/2014/08/25/biomimetic-photodetector-sees-in-color/) "see colors"? After all, they can display "green" when presented with green, and "red" when presented with red. And philosophical zombies, by definition, can act exactly like a person with qualia without having them. – Conifold May 31 '19 at 18:01
  • I made an edit to put the question in the title. You may roll this back or continue editing. Welcome! – Frank Hubeny May 31 '19 at 19:48
  • Our eyes do not "see" colours. Our eyes detect different wavelengths of light and signal this to our brains. Our brains interpret the different wavelengths as colours. The question then, may be more about the neurobiology of zombies.... – Michael Lautman Jun 02 '19 at 20:32
  • By definition, the neurobiology, to use your term, of zombies is identical to that of humans. Everything about zombies is identical to normal humans except for zombies not having qualia. The assumption that normal humans have qualia is unstated. It's hidden, as I stated in this question: https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/q/98675/58715 – Matthew Christopher Bartsh May 19 '23 at 15:47

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This answer only attempts to clarify the question. Here's Wikipedia description of a philosophical zombie:

The philosophical zombie or p-zombie argument is a thought experiment in philosophy of mind and philosophy of perception that imagines a being that, if it could conceivably exist, logically disproves the idea that physical stuff is all that is required to explain consciousness. Such a zombie would be indistinguishable from a normal human being but lack conscious experience, qualia, or sentience.

When I look out the window I see the red and white of the bricks and mortar in a nearby home. I see the gray of asphalt. I see the blue sky with white clouds. The light that allows me to see these colors goes through the glass of a window.

Does the glass in the window "see" the same colors that I see or does it functionally pass the light into the room without seeing anything?

The p-zombie could be viewed like the glass in the window, but with additional functionality so that its behavior is similar to my own. What the thought experiment suggests is that there are further facts "that do not follow logically from the physical facts of the world." (Wikipedia, Further Facts)

Wikipedia contributors. (2019, March 15). Further facts. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:40, May 31, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Further_facts&oldid=887955623

Wikipedia contributors. (2019, May 3). Philosophical zombie. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:40, May 31, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philosophical_zombie&oldid=895282030

Frank Hubeny
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  • It would be interesting to consider whether or not other living things, that are not conscious can see colour. Not just detect different wavelengths of light, but perceive colour. – Michael Lautman Jun 02 '19 at 20:33