Philosophy of Mind A-Z by Marina Rakova

Author:Marina Rakova [Rakova, Marina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-02-17T05:00:00+00:00

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PHILOSOPHY OF MIND A–Z

Lewis, David K. (1941–2001): American philosopher, one of the originators of the causal theory of mind. Viewing folk psychology as a ‘term-introducing scientific theory’

which explains behaviour in terms of causal roles played by different mental states, Lewis argued that rewriting it in a Ramsey sentence and adding the requirement of unique realisation for causal roles vindicates the identity theory (causal roles corresponding to mental terms can only be occupied by states causally related to behaviour, that is brain states). Acknowledging later the possibility that a mental state like pain may neither play its typical causal role (‘mad pain’ which does not cause one to wince) nor have its typical physical realisation due to multiple realisability (physically different ‘Martian pain’) and, contra Kripke, embracing the non-rigidity of mental terms, Lewis introduced the notion of domain-specific or restricted identities. A mental state must be identified with a physical state which realises the appropriate causal role in a limited population. This explains Martian pain, while mad pain can be treated as an exceptional case in members of a population, and mad Martian pain must be evaluated relative to the Martian population. Lewis’s analysis originated analytic functionalism, though for Lewis the identity thesis was always more important than functionalism.

Further reading: Lewis (1972, 1980, 1994) Locke, John (1632–1704): English philosopher, the founder of empiricism. Locke’s rejection of innate ideas came from his views about the inadequacy of our ideas in moral and legal spheres, but also ideas of secondary qualities like colour. His empiricism is thus inseparable from his distinction between primary and secondary qualities, representationalism and belief in real essences. Locke argued that the systematic and involuntary character of P1: JYS

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perceptual experience shows that it must represent an independent world of material objects. The causal relation between the world and the mind in perception ensures the adequacy of our ideas of primary qualities, but our ideas of secondary qualities are inadequate because they do not capture the real essences of things (still, his position was close to colour realism, for he viewed secondary qualities as objective intrinsic powers of objects to produce ideas in the minds of perceivers). Locke also originated the currently most widely held view of personal identity.

Further reading: Locke [1689] (1975)

Logic: a formal science of correct reasoning by drawing inferences. Reasoning can be divided into deduction (inferring a conclusion from a set of premises by following rules), induction (coming to a general conclusion on the basis of instances) and abduction. The origins of logic may be traced to Aristotle, but modern logic is credited to Frege who invented the first propositional calculus (the study of relations among propositions) and predicate calculus (the study of relations among statements in which properties are predicated of objects). The calculi, subsequently elaborated by Russell and philosophers of logical positivism, are employed in philosophy of mind in discussions of intentionality and representation (the problems of belief under entailment and intensionality).

Logic also underlies the computational theory

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