Phil of Mind exam

Nagel argument

P1: Subjective facts can be understood essentially only from a single

point of view – the point of view of the subject.

P2: Objective facts can be understood from multiple points of view.

Conclusion: We cannot understand subjective facts by appeal to

objective facts.

Non A to A spacial facts

Spatial facts at one level of grain (with regard to the Russian dolls) are explained by spatial facts at another level of grain (facts about the size of atoms, intervening space, and so on ).

Knowledge Arg From Jackson (Not about understanding)

P1: Mary knows all the physical facts about color vision at Stage 1.

P2: Mary learns an additional fact about color vision at Stage 2: that

this is what it is like to see red.

C: The fact learned at Stage 2 - what it is like to see red - is not a

physical fact.

Nagel’s purpose

Nagel is ultimately interested in our ability to

understand reductionist claims

Qualia

Under Jackson nonphysical facts

Brook & Brown on phones

P1: A tool can be part of one’s cognitive system only if the tool is

designed to help us achieve our goals as agents.

P2: Smartphones (or particular apps) are designed to manipulate our

attention.

C: Smartphones (or particular apps) are not part of our cognitive

system.

Functionalism

Functionalism: To be in a mental state is to be in some state or other with a certain functional role. To specify the functional role of a state simply specify the typical causes of the state and the typical effects of the state

STEP 1: Characterize the functional role of pain. Pain is typically caused by injury and pain typically causes crying, wincing, a desire to be rid of pain, an intention to do something about it.

STEP 2: Characterize pain in terms of its functional role. To be in pain = to be in some state or other that is typically caused by injury and that typically causes crying, wincing, a desire to be rid of the pain, etc.

Reliable Coupling

the real moral of the portability intuition is that for coupled systems to be relevant to the core of cognition, skip

Epiphenomenalism

Epiphenomenalism: Mental states do not cause physical states.

Thesis NE

Physical stuff is, in itself, in its fundamental nature,

something wholly and utterly non-experiential.

RP

Experience is a real concrete phenomenon, and every

real concrete phenomenon is physical

The Parity Principle

If, as we confront some task, a part of the world functions as a process which, were it done in the head, we would have no hesitation in recognizing as part of the cognitive process, then that part of the world is (so we claim) part of the cognitive process.” (tetris)

Condition of Cognition

Condition 1: Information must be frequently accessed

Condition 2: Information must be easily available

Condition 3: Information must be automatically endorsed or trusted

Help Principle

A tool can be part of one’s cognitive system only if the

tool is designed to help us achieve our goals as agents.

Symbiosis

parasitism, communeramism, mutualism

Emergentism

Experiential phenomena are emergent phenomena….Physical stuff in itself, in its basic nature, is indeed a wholly non- conscious, non-experiential phenomenon. Nevertheless when parts of it combine in certain ways, experiential phenomena ‘emerge’.

Reductionism

Reducing a mystery into something that is more familiar

Objective Facts

Objective facts do not need to be understood from some one point of

view. The Martian and the human being can both understand the same

set of objective facts about the bat even though they cannot take up

the point of view of the bat

subjective experience

Subjective experience is defined in terms of a particular point of view. There is only one kind of point of view from which one can understand subjective experience: the point of view of the kind of creature that has it.

Nagel on Reduction Trueth/Falsisty

we cannot understand reductionism because we do not at present have any conception of how it might be true.” (mental states are physical states)

Non A to A physical liquid

The hydrogen bonds do not contain the property of liquid, but we can understand how they can become a liquid

Non A to A that is bad (Spacial)

Spatial facts at one level of grain (with regard to the Russian dolls) are explained by spatial facts at another level of grain (facts about the size of atoms, intervening space, and so on )

Strawson’s View: [RP] without [NE]

DENY [NE] physical stuff is, in itself, in its fundamental nature, something

wholly and utterly non-experiential.

• [RP] experience is a real concrete phenomenon and every real

concrete phenomenon is physical.

Thus physical ultimates have consciousness whether string or quark! (To see red is have conscious quarks placed in x manner.