The whole collection · No. 34 of 36

Mary’s room

For anyone who has all the numbers.

1982 · “Epiphenomenal Qualia”, Philosophical Quarterly

Where it comes from

In 1982 Frank Jackson imagined Mary, a brilliant scientist who knows every physical fact about colour but has spent her whole life in a black and white room. When she’s let out and sees red, does she learn something new? Jackson said yes. Years later he changed his mind.

How to play it

Teach Mary everything there is to know about red. Then open the door.

Pick it up

What it teaches (try it first)

You can know everything about something and still not know what it’s like. Whatever Mary gets when the door opens, it wasn’t in any of her books.

Ask yourself. What do you think you understand, just because you’ve read the figures?

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