This is a post by Marcelino Botín (University of Barcelona) and Markel Kortabarria (University of Barcelona)

Consciousness is a rare beast. It is the aspect of reality with which we are most intimately acquainted, yet itremains strikingly resistant to scientific characterization. Classic thought experiments such as Mary in the black-and-white room suggest that one can possess complete scientific knowledge about the brain and still lack knowledge of what consciousness really is.