"What Is It Like to Be a Bat?" (essay)

"What Is It Like to Be a Bat?" is an essay by philosopher Thomas Nagel that explores the nature of subjective experience. Nagel argues that conscious experience is inherently tied to specific sensory and perceptual qualities—what it feels like to be a bat involves echolocation and flight, aspects humans can’t fully imagine. He emphasizes that while we can study bats scientifically, we may never fully understand their subjective perspective. The essay highlights the challenge of understanding consciousness from an objective viewpoint and suggests that there are limits to human empathy and scientific knowledge regarding other beings’ inner experiences.