Philosophy of the Mind

Study guide for the Philosophy of the Mind including Cartesian Dualism, Logical Behaviorism, the Identity theory, Functionalism. and the others stories supporting or undermining these theories.

Conceivability argument

“Can I imagine life without a mind?” - NO. “Can I imagine life without a body?” - YES.

Demonstrates the mind & body are two separate things, you need a mind, but do not need a .

Divisibility argument

“I can divide material things (like bodies), but I cannot divide the mind in half.”

Problem of Interaction

“How?”

It tries to explain HOW an immaterial mind can interact with a material body; it’s the central problem for the theory of Cartesian Dualism

Epiphenomenalism

Mental events are caused by physical brain processes, but have no causal effect on the physical world; Immaterial minds DON’T influence the material body or world.

A one way relationship

Logical Behaviorism

Tries to understand the mind in a more scientific way in order to make the mind observable through behaviors.

Logical Behaviorism in relation to Empiricism

Empirical means observable, since logical behaviorism makes minds observable, it’s empirical.

Identity Theory

The idea that the mind IS the brain, everything we know about consciousness and minds we get by STUDYING the brain.

Phineas Gage & Identity Theory Relationship

Phineas Gage lost part of his brain in his accident and when his brain was damaged, so was his mental state, according to this theory.

Functionalism

A mental state is a functional state.

something (like the mind) is defined by how it functions, not by what it’s made of (ex. clock)

Functionalism - Intentionality/Qualia (absent qualia objection)

There is more to having a mind than JUST the ability to function in a particular way. If something can function, but it cannot possess qualia; it CAN’T possess consciousness.

Qualia

Refers to what our experiences of the world truly feel like, how does it feel to BE someone?

Ryle’s University Seeker

Undermines cartesian dualism by suggesting that the University is like the MIND being composed of many different behaviors and saying behaviors and the mind are separate.

Supports logical behaviorism by suggesting the University isn’t separate , the campus is the University like the mind is the body (behaviors.)

Putnam’s Super Spartans & Perfect Pretenders

Both undermine logical behaviorism by illustrating that it is possible for a mental state and behavioral state to be in opposition.

Nagel’s Bat Thought Experiment

Challenges the identity theory by suggesting that there is more to consciousness than what we can QUANTIFY (measure) The subjective character of someone or something’s conscious experience cannot be measured.

Putnam’s Inverted Spectrum

The Turing Test

A test of machine intelligence; if a machine can use language in a manner indistinguishable from a human, then that machine is intelligent.

The Chinese Room

Challenges the turing test by suggesting that there is more to having a mind than moving symbols around.

Similarly, machines lack intentionality,  meaning they can appear to speak and understand humans, but they’re only able to provide an appropriate response based on a program.