Protoqualities

Protoqualities are a concept in philosophy and cognitive science that refer to the fundamental, pre-reflective qualities of experience that are not yet fully conceptualized or categorized. They are the raw, unprocessed sensations and feelings that precede and shape our more developed perceptions and beliefs. Protoqualities are often described as the "what it feels like" to experience something, rather than the "what it is."

The term was introduced by philosopher Alva Noë in his 2004 book "Action, Perception, and Consciousness." Noë argues that protoqualities are the building blocks of our conscious experience and that they play a crucial role in shaping our perceptions and actions. He suggests that protoqualities are not merely subjective or private, but are instead objective and public in a certain sense, as they can influence and be influenced by the world around us.

Protoqualities are distinct from qualia, which are the individual instances of conscious experience. While qualia are the specific, subjective feelings that we have when we experience something, protoqualities are the more general, pre-reflective qualities that underlie and shape our qualia. For example, the protoquality of redness underlies the specific qualia of seeing a red apple or a red sunset.

The study of protoqualities is an active area of research in philosophy, cognitive science, and neuroscience. Researchers are exploring how protoqualities arise from neural activity, how they shape our perceptions and actions, and how they relate to other aspects of conscious experience. Understanding protoqualities is seen as a key step towards a more comprehensive theory of consciousness.