Nandini Mishra

https://doi.org/10.64823/ijpeh.2601006

The question of consciousness remains one of the most challenging issues in contemporary philosophy. David Chalmers has transformed the issue through his formulation of the "Hard Problem of Consciousness," which distinguishes subjective experience from cognitive and behavioral functions. Chalmers's philosophy of consciousness, focusing on the explanatory gap between physical processes and phenomenal experience. It analyzes reductive materialism, explores his concept of naturalistic dualism, and evaluates major criticisms from functionalist perspectives. The study continues to provide an indispensable framework for understanding consciousness and the limitations of contemporary scientific explanations. Keywords: Consciousness, Naturalistic Dualism, Philosophy of Mind, Phenomenal Experience