Humanities & Social Sciences Communications (Jun 2021)
Paradox of the duplication of physical information
Abstract
Abstract A thought experiment demonstrates that physicalism about consciousness entails a paradoxical duplication of physical information. Moreover, objective existence acquires the status of a physical property. To avoid this paradox, one requires a concept of objectivity in which individuation is finite and incomplete. Finite individuation requires objective uncertainty and is thus corroborated by the contemporary sciences. Finite individuation and objective uncertainty prevent existence from becoming a physical property, thus defeating physicalism about consciousness and resolving the paradox.