Closer To Truth David Papineau on Consciousness, Physics, & the Mind-Body Problem
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Sep 18, 2024 
David Papineau, a British academic philosopher and Professor of Philosophy of Science, dives into the fascinating relationship between consciousness and reality. He critiques traditional dualism, advocating for a materialist perspective that links consciousness with physical processes. The discussion also ventures into moral considerations for animals and AI, questioning what it means to be conscious. With engaging explorations of teleo semantics and the complexities of belief formation, Papineau sheds light on the intricate interplay between mind and matter.
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Three Core Questions Of Consciousness
- David Papineau frames consciousness questions as how, what, and where to clarify the field's main problems.
- This triad separates relation-to-reality, nature-of-experience, and which organisms possess consciousness.
Realism As Ontology And Epistemology
- Realism claims a mind-independent world exists and that science can discover its nature.
- Papineau treats realism as both ontological and epistemic: reality exists and we can learn about it.
Naturalism Versus Physicalism
- Naturalism is vague, mixing ontological claims with methodological ones about science.
- Papineau tightens it into physicalism: the natural world is exhausted by physical entities.