Mind-Body Problem and Theories of Consciousness

This set of flashcards covers key concepts from the lecture on the mind-body problem, theories of consciousness, and behaviorism in philosophy.

Mind–body problem

The problem of understanding the relationship between the mind and the body, including questions of existence and properties.

Dualism

The belief that there are two kinds of substances: mental (soul) and physical (body) that interact.

Zombie problem

The idea that a being may behave as if it has consciousness without actually having subjective experiences.

Phenomenal properties

Properties related to conscious experience, such as feelings and sensations, which are difficult to express in purely physical terms.

Primary qualities

Characteristics of objects that exist independently of an observer, such as solidity and arrangement.

Secondary qualities

Characteristics that arise in the mind of the observer as a result of perception, such as color and taste.

Eliminative materialism

The theory that folk psychology should be abandoned in favor of neurophysiological explanations, rejecting entities like beliefs and desires.

Interactionism

The belief that mental and physical events can causally influence each other.

Epiphenomenalism

The view that mental states are by-products of physical processes and do not affect physical events.

Idealism

The philosophy that denies the existence of matter independent of the mind, asserting that reality is constituted by mental representations.

Behaviorism

The approach in psychology that studies behaviors without referring to internal mental states.

Neutral monism

The view that reality is neither exclusively mental nor physical but consists of a neutral substance.

Mysterianism

The position that some problems in philosophy and science may be unsolvable due to the limitations of human cognitive capacities.

Psychological behaviorism

The view that behavior should be the primary focus of psychology, excluding any special role for consciousness.

Logical behaviorism

The assertion that psychological statements can be translated into non-psychological terms, typically physical.