Brain in a Vat Where is my mind? | Shaun Stanley
Sep 19, 2021
Shaun Stanley, a controversial philosopher from Bristol University, challenges traditional views on consciousness and the existence of minds. He explores whether humans are just sophisticated robots, diving into thought experiments about the fictional Antipodeans. The conversation covers the link between behavior and internal states, using locked-in syndrome as a case study. Stanley also delves into the nuances of love, the limitations of folk psychology, and how emotions might be better expressed through poetry than science.
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Antipodean Thought Experiment
- Shaun Stanley proposes that some civilizations might lack mentalistic language and instead refer only to neurological states.
- He uses the Antipodean thought experiment to argue mental-state talk may be replaceable by physical descriptions.
Rejecting Type Identity
- Stanley rejects type-identity theories that equate a mental type with a specific physiological type.
- He endorses eliminative materialism: folk psychological states might not be real entities to be reduced.
Functionalism And Skepticism About Qualia
- Stanley outlines functionalism as a response: mental terms could denote functional states defined by inputs, internal processing, and outputs.
- He remains skeptical about qualia, doubting ineffable 'raw feels' beyond functional description.
