innerfelt

Innerfelt is a neologism used in discussions of consciousness to denote the subjective, qualitative aspect of internal experiences—the felt dimension of mental states as experienced from the first-person perspective. The term is not widely standardized and appears mostly in informal, interdisciplinary debates rather than as a formal theory in mainstream philosophy of mind. Etymology is simple: inner + felt, intended to distinguish the private feel of experience from its outward expressions.

Definition and scope: Innerfelt refers to the subjective "feel" of thoughts, emotions, memories, sensations, or anticipations. It is the way a person experiences something internally, including intensity, tone, and immediacy, which may not be accessible to others. It is related to, but distinct from, cognitive content or behavioral manifestations.

Relation to other concepts: Innerfelt is closely aligned with the notion of qualia and with the "felt sense" described in phenomenology and certain therapeutic approaches. It emphasizes first-person perspective and bodily resonance as part of mental life, albeit without committing to a precise metaphysical status.

Usage and criticisms: Proponents use innerfelt to discuss why subjective experience matters in explanations of consciousness, while critics argue that it re-labels existing ideas or risks reintroducing an ineffable private inner realm that resists analysis. In practice, innerfelt is used as a heuristic device rather than a formal concept in most literature.

See also: Qualia; phenomenology; felt sense; embodied cognition; introspection.