Do you believe that you can learn everything about something without actually experiencing it? There’s a thought experiment called Mary’s Room that may alter your perspective.
In this experiment, Mary is confined to a black and white life. The only colors she ever saw was black, and white. While living this dull life, she was given only research books and documents on color. She became a color expert; a super scientist. She knew every scientific thing about color and how the eye interprets color.
The Knowledge Argument is that no matter how much knowledge you attain on a subject, the actual experience makes you learn more. Mary, from the experiment, was released from confinement and exposed to the world of color that she could witness. The first time she saw color, she learned something new.
There’s a level of knowledge that can’t be attainted by only just reading. Full understanding comes from experience. This directly goes against the theory of Physicalism which states that “everything in the world is physical“. Although, full understanding in reality is not yet here, which is why we can always question the mystery of consciousness.
You can read more about The Knowledge Argument in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
