Think Globally, Experience Locally?

This chapter explores how accounts of phenomenal unity can not only satisfy the phenomenality constraint, but also a version of globality. Global phenomenal unity could then be called phenomenal holism. First, different relevant versions of globality are discussed, as well as notions of holism that can be applied to consciousness. According to accounts of strong phenomenal holism, every phenomenal part of a phenomenal field depends for its existence on all other phenomenal parts of the same phenomenal field. It is argued that accounts which defend such a strong phenomenal holism are ultimately not tenable. Hence, the globality constraint can only be used in its weaker, relaxed versions. It is suggested that a substantial version of phenomenal holism should combine relaxed versions of globality with the assumption that experienced wholes are hierarchically ordered. Furthermore, three features that make this idea more specific are identified: Multiplicity, Graduality, and Invariance. Finally, the ideas presented in this chapter are wrapped up by presenting the regularity account of phenomenal unity (RPU).