Qualia

You wake up to the sounds of the birds chirping. You open up the curtains and take in the colors of the flowering trees outside. Walking downstairs you are greeted by the smell of the coffee brewing. In each case, you undergo an experience with a distinctive phenomenal “feel.” That is to say, there is something that it is like to hear the birds chirping, smell the coffee, and see the colors of the flowers outside. Each, we say, is an experience with qualia. In neutral terms, qualia are those features, whatever they are, that account for the phenomenal character of experience. Tradition has it that perceptual experiences have qualia, as do bodily sensations, felt moods, and felt emotions. This entry focuses on philosophical issues and questions of qualia.