Hard problem of consciousness

The hard problem of consciousness is finding an explanation for how physical phenomena acquire subjective characteristics becoming, for example, colors and tastes. For example, "it is possible to know all the physical and functional facts concerning the operation of human brains without, for example, knowing what it is like subjectively to experience vertigo." As stated by Goldstein: "Solving the "easy" problem of consciousness involves looking tor connections between physiological responses and experiences such as perceiving "red"... This is also called the search for the neural correlate of consciousness. Solving the "hard" problem of consciousness involves determining how physiological processes such as ions flowing across the nerve membrane cause us to have experiences."

- E. Bruce Goldstein

The term hard problem of consciousness usually is attributed to David J. Chalmers.