the mind-body problem today Flashcards
(37 cards)
what is decarte’s substance dualism?
- The mind and brain are made up of separate things
- no answer for interaction problem
- claimed they interact via the pineal gland
what are Epiphenomenalists?
Bodily states can cause bodily & mental states. Mental states cannot.
what is Lebinz’s parallelism?
- Mental and physical states cause each other, but are separate processes on separate paths.
- The mind and brain do not interact directly = they are live parallels caused by God
- no mind-body problem
what is the mind-body problem?
If the mind and body are different substances which cannot interact, then:
- Either mind and body do not interact, or:
- The mind and body are not separate substances, or:
what is monism?
- the mind-body are not different substances, but are one substance
what is substance?
Idealists = argue it’s mental
Materialists = argue it’s physical
Neutral monists = argue there is a single substance, which has both mental and physical aspects.
what are dualisms?
- substance dualism (Descartes)
property dualism: - emergent materialism (Chalmers)
- Epiphenomenalism (Huxley)
what are dual-aspects?
- Parallelism
- panpsychism
what are modern dualisms?
monisms:
Physicalisms
- Computational functionalism (Putnam).
- Eliminative materialism (Churchland).
- Type identity theory (Place).
- Behaviourism (Ryle).
what is methodological behaviourism?
- Scientific psychology should focus on observable behaviour.
- Metatheoretical stance on how to ‘be’ science.
e.g. Skinner and Watson etc
what is philosophical behaviourism?
- Substance dualism leaves a ‘ghost in the machine’.
- Mental states are actually statements about the ‘behaviour’ of the mind.
- Treating them as separate statements is a ‘category mistake’.
- Eliminate the need for ‘mind’ by reducing it to ‘behaviour’.
- don’t not immediately act upon every (mental / physiological) state.
- We are capable of not acting on our impulses. So this cannot be a complete picture.
- Unless ‘states’ are really ‘dispositions
what are some critiques of philosophical behaviourism?
- We’re required to deny our own mental states acknowledging only our behaviours.
- We’re required to deny our own experiences
- To endorse philosophical behaviourism requires feigning ignorance about ones own self
what does Ryle believe about philosophical behaviours?
States can reference behaviours, but behaviours can also reference states.
- E.g. bumping; hitting. The same physical attributes, but different intentionality.
- Wincing: Only makes sense with reference to mental states.
- Neuroscience / neuropsychology shows concepts like ‘pain’ & ‘trust’ map onto certain brain areas.
what is the epiphenonmenalism to the mind-body problem?
a position in the philosophy of mind according to which mental states or events are caused by physical states or events in the brain but do not themselves cause anything.
how does Epiphenomenalism explain emotion?
- Caused by neurochemical interactions in the brain.
- No causal efficacy: Cannot influence behaviour / emotion / thought.
- James-Lang theory = physical changes in the body happen first, which then leads to the experience of emotion
what supports epiphenomenalism?
- Neuropsychology: Many reactions / functions don’t require conscious functioning
- Neurophysiology: conscious awareness follows the brain states
- Behaviourism: Predicted on stimulus / response without reference to the mind
arguments are against epiphenomenalism?
- Evolutionary: If the mind serves no function, why did it evolve?
- Interaction: How do the mind / body interact?
- Empirical: But, the mind has a ‘conscious veto’ over behaviour.
- Logic: If the mind can’t affect the brain, how do we know about it?
how does panpsychism explain emotion?
- Consciousness is a fundamental property of the universe.
- Emotions are a fundamental property of consciousness.
- All things have emotions, to some extent.
- Thought not separate from experience.
what is Panpsychism?
- everything has mental properties (a mind)
- The mind is a non-physical property of all matter
- physical: space, time, energy, mass
- mental: ephemeral, yet fundamental
what are Nagels 4 premises in support of Panpsychism?
- The mind is real
- everything is matter
- The mind cannot be reduced to physical states
- The mind does not emerge from physical states
what are some arguments against panpsychism?
- it’s not falsifiable
- It cannot be tested empirically.
- Meaningless: It’s not even a theory yet
- Panpsychists claim there’s not evidence against it, therefore can’t argue against it (Russel’s teapot)
what is emergent/non-reductive materialism?
- There are causal relationships between body and mind.
- All mental states caused by physical states.
- Not all mental states cause other mental states.
- Mind dependent on, but not reducible to, body.
what is the emergent/non-reductive view of emotions?
- ‘Caused’ by physiological and neurochemical reactions within the brain.
- Causal efficacy: Can influence behaviour / emotion / thought.
- As brain structure / processes become more complex, the brain becomes capable of more complex functions.
- Functions not present in individual components arise
- ‘Emotion’ a property of complex brain interactions.
- Levels of explanation: From ‘simple’ neurochemical interactions to metaphysical experiences.
arguments for emergent / non-reductive materialism?
- physical properties can be described on multiple levels
- the higher-order properties emerge from lower-order ones
