Philosophy for the People Fresh Perspectives on The Mind-Brain Debate | Roundtable on Philosophy of Mind, Pt. 1.
Sep 25, 2023
Dr. Angus Menuge, Dr. Robert Markts, and Brian Krouse discuss the philosophy of mind and the mind-brain debate. They explore the challenges faced by physicalism in understanding the mind, the shortcomings of functionalism in explaining consciousness, and the concept of emergence in artificial intelligence. The speakers highlight the importance of facilitating cross dialogue between scientists and philosophers in understanding the nature of the mind.
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Physicalism's Challenge
- Physicalism aims to explain the mind through materialist principles, similar to other natural phenomena.
- However, it struggles to account for key mental aspects like subjectivity and intentionality.
The Physicalist Dilemma
- Physicalist accounts of the mind face a dilemma: either they are clearly physicalist but obviously false, or they might not be obviously false, but they aren't physicalist.
- This highlights the difficulty of reconciling physicalism with the nature of mental states.
Motivation and Oversights of Physicalism
- Physicalism is motivated by the desire to explain everything within a unified scientific paradigm.
- However, this approach overlooks the unique nature of mental phenomena, which may not be reducible to physical processes.