Philosopher Daniel Dennett asks us to really consider the implication of Mary’s exhaustive knowledge of the physical facts. His point is that the concept of complete physical understanding is so utterly foreign that we grossly underestimate the explanatory power it would provide. With such an all-encompassing grasp, from the physics of light to the biochemistry of eyes to the neuroscience of the brain, Dennett argues that Mary would be able to discern the inner sensation of red long before experiencing it.
