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dualism
the view that the mind and body are fundamentally distinct substances, with the mind being non-physical and the body being physical.
epiphenomenalism
the view that mental states are caused by physical processes in the brain but have no causal influence on physical events, rendering consciousness a byproduct of neural activity
interactionism
the dualist theory that the mind and body are distinct substances that causally influence each other, with mental events affecting physical actions and physical events influencing mental states.
occam’s razor
a philosophical principle that suggests, all else being equal, the simplest explanation or theory is generally preferred over more complex ones, as it requires fewer assumptions and hypothetical entities.
identity theory
the view that mental states are identical to brain states, meaning that processes of the mind are the same as physical processes in the brain
type materialism
the view that every mental state category is identical to a specific physical state category in the brain, asserting a one-to-one correspondence between mental phenomena and neural processes.
Hempel’s Dilemma
poses a challenge to physicalism by presenting two unsatisfactory options: if physicalism is defined by current physics, it's likely false due to the incompleteness of our theories, but if defined by an ideal future physics, it becomes trivially true or empty. This dilemma highlights the difficulty in precisely defining "physical" properties, challenging the coherence of physicalism as a metaphysical stance.
behaviorism
a psychological theory that focuses on observable behaviors and external stimuli, often rejecting the study of internal mental states and instead explaining behavior through environmental influences and conditioning.
functionalism
the theory that mental states are defined by their causal roles within a cognitive system, rather than by their internal composition.
split-brain phenomenon
refers to the condition where the corpus callosum connecting the brain's hemispheres is severed, resulting in two independently functioning hemispheres with separate perceptions, concepts, and impulses to act
James emotion theory
emotions arise as a direct reponse to the physical responses to stimuli. for example, I see a bear, then my body physically reacts by increasing heartrate and such, and then I feel fear as a result.
Nussbaum emotion theory
emotions are cognitive judgements of our circumstances. for example we get angry because we perceive the wrongdoing of someone else and our reaction to that is the anger.
