Workshop on the Moral Significance of Consciousness

It is widely believed that consciousness is morally significant. Conscious states can possess intrinsic value and disvalue, and many have argued that the capacity for consciousness (or the capacity for certain forms of consciousness) is necessary and sufficient for moral status. The goal of this workshop is to better understand the moral significance of consciousness, and to investigate whether the moral significance of consciousness has any metaphysical significance - that is, whether it has any bearing on traditional metaphysical debates about the nature of consciousness. This workshop is part of a two-year project entitled "Reductive Materialism and the Moral Significance of Consciousness," funded by the Templeton Religion Trust.

The workshop will take place on Zoom. It is open to all who wish to attend at no cost, but registration is required. To register, go to the workshop webpage. Registrants will be sent a Zoom link by email shortly before the workshop.

Dates for the workshop are Friday May 28 and Saturday May 29. All times below are Eastern Standard Time.

Schedule

Friday May 28

12:00-1:30 - Geoffrey Lee, "Imagination, Empathy, and the Moral Insignificance of Consciousness"

1:55-3:25 - Gwen Bradford, "Consciousness and Welfare Subjectivity"

3:50-5:20 - Brian Cutter, "The Value of Consciousness: An Axiological Argument against Reductive Materialism"

Saturday May 29

12:30-2:00 - Adam Pautz, "The Epistemic Value of Consciousness: A Problem for Reductive Physicalism"

2:30-4:00 - David Chalmers, "Consciousness and Moral Status"

4:10-5:00 - Post-Workshop Reception