Intro Minds and Bodies - Instructor: Lucas Halpin PDF

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Instructor: Lucas Halpin...

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Minds and Bodies

Physicalism: The mind = the brain. Mental stuff = physical stuff. Dualism: The mind and the Brain are not identical. Mental stuff is not identical to physical stuff.

Arguments for Physicalism. Constant correlation argument: 1. Every mental change is correlated with a physical change (in the brain), and vice versa. 2. If every mental change is correlated with a physical change (in the brain) and vice versa, then the mind = the brain. 3. Therefore, the mind = the brain. Causation argument: 1. Mental states cause physical states and vice versa. 2. Only physical states cause, or are caused by, physical states. 3. Therefore, mental states are physical states. Zombies + Mutants Argument: 1. 2. 3. 4.

If dualism were true, then Zombies and Mutants would be possible. Zombies and Mutants are not possible. Therefore, dualism is not true. Hence, physicalism must be true.

Arguments for Dualism Leibniz’s Law: X = Y if and only if X and Y share all properties (i.e., if and only if everything that is true of X is true of Y and vice versa.) Mary Argument: 1. Mary knows all about (light waves, surface properties, neurons, optics, etc.). 2. Mary doesn’t know (what it is like to see red). 3. Thus, (light waves, surface properties, neurons, optics, etc.) is not identical to (what it is like to see red). (By Leibniz’s law) 4. Hence, physicalism is false.

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Conceivability Argument: (conceivability entails possibility) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Zombies and Mutants are conceivable. If Zombies and Mutants are conceivable, then Zombies and mutants are possible. Therefore, Zombies and Mutants are possible. If Zombies and Mutants are possible, then physicalism is false. Therefore, Physicalism is false.

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