p-zombie (philosophical zombie)

A philosophical zombie, or p-zombie, is a hypothetical being that behaves exactly like a conscious human—talking, reacting, and perceiving—but lacks any true conscious experience or inner awareness. It acts outwardly as if it has feelings and thoughts, but there’s no subjective “inner life.” The concept is used in philosophy to question whether consciousness is solely a product of physical processes or if it requires something more. If p-zombies are conceivable and possible, it suggests that our physical qualities alone might not fully explain consciousness.